What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Inspectors statement: Mr. Eric willard lager, pilots certificate number 1544951, privacy data omitted was the pilot in command of his Beechcraft BE-36-A36, sn.E-1281, N4979M on 01-14-00. Mr. Lager was intransit between pagosa springs co. and romeoville, Illinois and was approximately 40 miles east of garden city when Mr. Lager noticed he had a low voltage light but due to sun shinning directly on his instrument panel was not sure how long thelight had been on. He was flying at FL 180. He contacted Kansas city center. Kansas city center asked him what Mr. Lager would like to do. He requested the nearest airport which was Manhattan KS. He attempted to lower the landing gear but there wasn't enough battery to do the job Mr. Lager indicated to myself and inspector john parsons that he did not use the POH and proceeded to manually lower the gear. He had no contact with Manhattan tower due to low voltage but the tower was called by Kansas city center and advised of themimpending problem. Mr. Lager landed his aircraft on runway 21 and on roll out the aircraft's landing gear collapsed. Mr. Lager indicated that he thinks if he had cranked the handl e another turn or so that the gear would have been locked down.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) INSPECTORS STATEMENT: MR. ERIC WILLARD LAGER, PILOTS CERTIFICATE NUMBER 1544951, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF HIS BEECHCRAFT BE-36-A36, SN.E-1281, N4979M ON 01-14-00. MR. LAGER WAS INTRANSIT BETWEEN PAGOSA SPRINGS CO. AND ROMEOVILLE, ILLINOIS AND WAS APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES EAST OF GARDEN CITY WHEN MR. LAGER NOTICED HE HAD A LOW VOLTAGE LIGHT BUT DUE TO SUN SHINNING DIRECTLY ON HIS INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS NOT SURE HOW LONG THELIGHT HAD BEEN ON. HE WAS FLYING AT FL 180. HE CONTACTED KANSAS CITY CENTER. KANSAS CITY CENTER ASKED HIM WHAT MR. LAGER WOULD LIKE TO DO. HE REQUESTED THE NEAREST AIRPORT WHICH WAS MANHATTAN KS. HE ATTEMPTED TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR BUT THERE WASN'T ENOUGH BATTERY TO DO THE JOB MR. LAGER INDICATED TO MYSELF AND INSPECTOR JOHN PARSONS THAT HE DID NOT USE THE POH AND PROCEEDED TO MANUALLY LOWER THE GEAR. HE HAD NO CONTACT WITH MANHATTAN TOWER DUE TO LOW VOLTAGE BUT THE TOWER WAS CALLED BY KANSAS CITY CENTER AND ADVISED OF THEMIMPENDING PROBLEM. MR. LAGER LANDED HIS AIRCRAFT ON RUNWAY 21 AND ON ROLL OUT THE AIRCRAFT'S LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. MR. LAGER INDICATED THAT HE THINKS IF HE HAD CRANKED THE HANDL E ANOTHER TURN OR SO THAT THE GEAR WOULD HAVE BEEN LOCKED DOWN.
Other reports on N4979M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.