20020809027069I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Beech 35-33 · Bullhead City, AZ · August 9, 2002

Date: August 9, 2002 · 19:45 local
Place: Bullhead City, AZ
Airport: Laughlin/Bullhead Internation
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N985T
Reported as: Beech 3533
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,200 total2,400 in this make and model12 in the last 90 days

N985TRegistered now · Beech 35-33S/N CD-182 Airframe modelBeech 35-33 Engine modelContinental I0-470 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Airman reported on CTAF that he was short final (gear down) to runway 16 (wind calm). Another aircraft then reported final for runway 34. This airman looked momentarily for opposite direction traffic, did not see him and decided to go around. During go around, airman retracted gear. While on downwind, he asked where traffic was and the other aircraft reported 5 mile final. This airman then made a short approach to remain clear or inbound traffic, and admittedly forgot to lower the gear while making the short approach. He carried enough power during the short approach inadvertently not allowing the gear warning horn to sound as he never got below 12" map until the prop contacted the runway.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRMAN REPORTED ON CTAF THAT HE WAS SHORT FINAL (GEAR DOWN) TO RUNWAY 16 (WIND CALM). ANOTHER AIRCRAFT THEN REPORTED FINAL FOR RUNWAY 34. THIS AIRMAN LOOKED MOMENTARILY FOR OPPOSITE DIRECTION TRAFFIC, DID NOT SEE HIM AND DECIDED TO GO AROUND. DURING GO AROUND, AIRMAN RETRACTED GEAR. WHILE ON DOWNWIND, HE ASKED WHERE TRAFFIC WAS AND THE OTHER AIRCRAFT REPORTED 5 MILE FINAL. THIS AIRMAN THEN MADE A SHORT APPROACH TO REMAIN CLEAR OR INBOUND TRAFFIC, AND ADMITTEDLY FORGOT TO LOWER THE GEAR WHILE MAKING THE SHORT APPROACH. HE CARRIED ENOUGH POWER DURING THE SHORT APPROACH INADVERTENTLY NOT ALLOWING THE GEAR WARNING HORN TO SOUND AS HE NEVER GOT BELOW 12" MAP UNTIL THE PROP CONTACTED THE RUNWAY.