What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) This investigation follows accident involving a Beech F-90, serial number LA-172 aircraft, whose landing gear retracted during taxi operation when the maximum heat switch was turned on. This resulted in considerable dmage to the iarcraft, right engine, and right propeller. During investigation, inspectors form this office, alone with a representative from ratheon aircraft services (fulton county airport), discovered several wires chaffed in the right main landing gear wheel well area. The right wheel well's splash curtain was removed and the wiring for the J107 connector was inspected. Several wires were found chaffed though insulation in the area where they were tied to the aircraft wheel wheel compartment wire bundle and made a 180 degree bend. The determination was made that one side of the wires had chaffed against the spiral wrap (on wiring to protect against chaffing) for wire bundle that J107 were tied to. See attachment (.19) on February 9, 2000, about 0905 eastern standard time, a Beech F-90, N101ET, registered to and operated by avondale mills inc., as a title 14 CFR part 91 business flight, main landing gear retracted while taxiing for ta keoff from Monroe county airport, Monroe, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged, and the private-rated pilot was not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. A company representative stated that while taxiing for takeoff the pilot selected max ground heat, and immediately experienced main gear retraction. The representative further stated that the tail dropped suddenly, impacting the ramp, and the airplane continued to move forward for about 30 feet.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THIS INVESTIGATION FOLLOWS ACCIDENT INVOLVING A BEECH F-90, SERIAL NUMBER LA-172 AIRCRAFT, WHOSE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED DURING TAXI OPERATION WHEN THE MAXIMUM HEAT SWITCH WAS TURNED ON. THIS RESULTED IN CONSIDERABLE DMAGE TO THE IARCRAFT, RIGHT ENGINE, AND RIGHT PROPELLER. DURING INVESTIGATION, INSPECTORS FORM THIS OFFICE, ALONE WITH A REPRESENTATIVE FROM RATHEON AIRCRAFT SERVICES (FULTON COUNTY AIRPORT), DISCOVERED SEVERAL WIRES CHAFFED IN THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEEL WELL AREA. THE RIGHT WHEEL WELL'S SPLASH CURTAIN WAS REMOVED AND THE WIRING FOR THE J107 CONNECTOR WAS INSPECTED. SEVERAL WIRES WERE FOUND CHAFFED THOUGH INSULATION IN THE AREA WHERE THEY WERE TIED TO THE AIRCRAFT WHEEL WHEEL COMPARTMENT WIRE BUNDLE AND MADE A 180 DEGREE BEND. THE DETERMINATION WAS MADE THAT ONE SIDE OF THE WIRES HAD CHAFFED AGAINST THE SPIRAL WRAP (ON WIRING TO PROTECT AGAINST CHAFFING) FOR WIRE BUNDLE THAT J107 WERE TIED TO. SEE ATTACHMENT (.19) ON FEBRUARY 9, 2000, ABOUT 0905 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A BEECH F-90, N101ET, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY AVONDALE MILLS INC., AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 BUSINESS FLIGHT, MAIN LANDING GEAR RETRACTED WHILE TAXIING FOR TA KEOFF FROM MONROE COUNTY AIRPORT, MONROE, GEORGIA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. A COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT WHILE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF THE PILOT SELECTED MAX GROUND HEAT, AND IMMEDIATELY EXPERIENCED MAIN GEAR RETRACTION. THE REPRESENTATIVE FURTHER STATED THAT THE TAIL DROPPED SUDDENLY, IMPACTING THE RAMP, AND THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD FOR ABOUT 30 FEET.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.