# Accident 20011017030029A: Beech 58, Gulfport, MS, October 17, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 17, 2001, 05:20 local time - Place: Gulfport, MS - Airport: Gulfport-Biloxi Regional - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: QAIA - Location: 30.4072° N, 89.0700° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4072&lon=-89.0700&mi=10 - Aircraft: N943V (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: BEECH 58 - Reported engine: CONT IO520C - People aboard: 3 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 5,550 total, 2,771 in this make and model, 120 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA02LA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02LA010) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011017030029A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF AT 0515, DURING CLIMBOUT THE COCKPIT DOOR CAME AJAR. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND DOOR WAS RESECURED. AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF AGAIN AT 0520, DURING CLIMBOUT THE COCKPIT DOOR CAME AJAR AGAIN. THE AIRCRAFT AGAIN LANDED BUT THE LANDING GEAR WAS NOT EXTENDED BY THE PILOT CAUSING A GEAR UP LANDING. (.4) THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER THE INITIAL TAKEOFF, THE CABIN DOOR "CAME AJAR." THE FLIGHT RETURNED AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY WHERE HE CLOSED THE CABIN DOOR. THE FLIGHT AGAIN DEPARTED AND THE CABIN DOOR "CAME AJAR AGAIN." THE FLIGHT RETURNED AND THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDED, "...WITH THE LANDING GEAR UP." POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE LANDING GEAR WARNING SYSTEM WAS INOPERATIVE. THE MICROSWITCH FOR THE LEFT THROTTLE/GEAR WARNING SYSTEM WAS SHORTED INTERNALLY AND THE ROLLER ARM WAS BENT BACKWARDS. THE MICROSWITCH FOR THE RIGHT THROTTLE/GEAR WARNING SYSTEM WAS NOT MAKING CONTACT WITH THE THROTTLE CAM; BUCKLING OF THE THROTTLE ATTACHMENT PLATE WAS NOTED. MANUAL OPERATION OF THE MICROSWITCH OF THE RIGHT THROTTLE/GEAR WARNING SYSTEM WOULD TRIP THE CIRCUIT BREAKER. THE LEFT MICROSWITCH WAS REMOVED FRO M THE CIRCUIT AND MANUAL ACTIVATION OF THE MICROSWITCH OF THE RIGHT THROTTLE/GEAR WARNING SYSTEM ACTIVATED THE GEAR WARNING SYSTEM. EXAMINATION OF THE CABIN DOOR REVEALED THAT WHEN THE CABIN DOOR WAS CLOSED AND LATCHED, THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE WAS EXTENDED AWAY FROM THE DOOR APPROXIMATELY 1.5 INCHES; A RUSTED AND BROKEN SPRING WAS NOTED. OPERATIONAL CHECK OF THE DOOR LATCH MECHANISM WAS ACCOMPLISHED REVEALING NO BINDING NOTED; THE DOOR LOCKED. THE UPPER LATCH WAS FOUND TO GO OVER CENTER WITH THE DOOR LATCHED AND THE AFT LATCH BOLT "...LOCKED PROPERLY." THE TWO RIVETS THAT SECURE THE PIN GUIDE ASSEMBLY TO THE DOOR WERE FOUND BROKEN. THERE WERE NO WRITTEN DISCREPANCIES PERTAINING TO THE CABIN DOOR BETWEEN MAY 25, 2000, AND SEPTEMBER 7, 2001. DURING THAT SAME TIME FRAME, ONE DISCREPANCY RELATED TO THE GEAR WARNING SYSTEM WAS NOTED. THE ENTRY INDICATES THAT THE THROTTLE WARNING HORN CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED DURING DESCENT TO LAND PRIOR TO HAVING THE LANDING GEAR EXTENDED. AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE (AD) 97-14-15, EFFECTIVE DATE OF SEPTEMBER 2, 1997, APPLICABLE TO THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE, TO PREVENT UNINTENTIONAL OPENING OF THE CABIN SIDE DOOR AND THE UTILITY DOOR FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE AIRPLANE, WAS COMPLIED WITH ON OCTOBER 4, 1997. THE AIRPLANE HAD ACCUMULATED APPROXIMATELY 1,281 HOURS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT SINCE COMPLIANCE. FURTHER REVIEW OF THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS INSPECTED LAST IN ACCORDANCE WITH A 100-HOUR INSPECTION THAT WAS SIGNED OFF ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2001; THE AIRPLANE HAD ACCUMULATED 38 HOURS SINCE THE INSPECTION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. REVIEW OF THE INSPECTION GUIDE FOR THE AIRPLANE INDICATES THAT THE CABIN DOOR IS INSPECTED FOR SECURITY OF ATTACHMENT AND THE LATCHING MECHANISM IS CHECKED FOR PROPER ENGAGEMENT AND EASE OF OPERATION. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB MIA02LA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02LA010), Oct 17, 2001: Beech 58 (N943V), Gulfport, MS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to use the checklist resulting in a gear-up landing. Contributing factors in the accident were: 1) The inoperative landing gear warning system, 2) Inadequate preflight of the… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.