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20110314002859I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Beech S35 · Winter Haven, FL · March 14, 2011

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
March 14, 2011 · 14:30 local
Place
Winter Haven, FL
Airport
Winter Haven Gilbert Field
Phase of flight
Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N17MA
Reported as
Beech S35
Reported engine
Continental IO-520 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
352 total157 in this make and model4 in the last 90 days
N17MARegistered now · Beech S35S/N D-7529Airframe modelBeech S35Engine modelContinental IO-520 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.

On March 14, 2011, privacy data omitted, a private pilot, certificate number privacy data omitted, acting as pilot in command of N17MA, a Beechcraft S35 v-tail bonanza, failed to extend the landing gear prior to landing at Winter Haven's Gilbert field, Winter Haven, Florida.privacy data omitted Stated that he simply failed to extend the landing gear prior to landing. privacy data omitted Stated that he verbalized a "gumps" check but, did not actually select the landing gear selector to the down position or check for a green light. When asked if the gear warning horn was sounding prior to landing Mr. Vrolijk stated that it must have been sounding due to the fact that the warning system functions normally. The gear up landing resulted in minor damage to the propeller, nose landing gear doors, cowl flaps, exhaust pipes, rotating beacon, lower antennas, wing flaps, step, and lower fuselage skin. The aircraft did not appear to have sustained any substantial damage.a review of privacy data omitted pilot records revealed that he was current and qualified to fly the Beechcraft S35. A review of privacy data omitted spas record revealed no history of accidents, incidents, or violations.a review of aircraft maintenance records indicated that the aircraft was in an airworthy condition at the time of the incident. The weather was VFR and was not considered to be a factor.privacy data omitted Was cooperative and forthright during the investigation. privacy data omitted Took full responsibility for the gear up landing incident.

As the FAA filed it

ON MARCH 14, 2011, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A PRIVATE PILOT, CERTIFICATE NUMBER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, ACTING AS PILOT IN COMMAND OF N17MA, A BEECHCRAFT S35 V-TAIL BONANZA, FAILED TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR PRIOR TO LANDING AT WINTER HAVEN'S GILBERT FIELD, WINTER HAVEN, FLORIDA.^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE SIMPLY FAILED TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR PRIOR TO LANDING. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE VERBALIZED A "GUMPS" CHECK BUT, DID NOT ACTUALLY SELECT THE LANDING GEAR SELECTOR TO THE DOWN POSITION OR CHECK FOR A GREEN LIGHT. WHEN ASKED IF THE GEAR WARNING HORN WAS SOUNDING PRIOR TO LANDING MR. VROLIJK STATED THAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN SOUNDING DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE WARNING SYSTEM FUNCTIONS NORMALLY.THE GEAR UP LANDING RESULTED IN MINOR DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER, NOSE LANDING GEAR DOORS, COWL FLAPS, EXHAUST PIPES, ROTATING BEACON, LOWER ANTENNAS, WING FLAPS, STEP, AND LOWER FUSELAGE SKIN. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE SUSTAINED ANY SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.A REVIEW OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PILOT RECORDS REVEALED THAT HE WAS CURRENT AND QUALIFIED TO FLY THE BEECHCRAFT S35. A REVIEW OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SPAS RECORD REVEALED NO HISTORY OF ACCIDENTS, INCIDENTS, OR VIOLATIONS.A REVIEW OF AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN AN AIRWORTHY CONDITION AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.THE WEATHER WAS VFR AND WAS NOT CONSIDERED TO BE A FACTOR.^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS COOPERATIVE AND FORTHRIGHT DURING THE INVESTIGATION. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TOOK FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE GEAR UP LANDING INCIDENT.