# Accident 20200601001939A: Beech A36, Batavia, NY, June 1, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 1, 2020, 12:15 local time
- Place: Batavia, NY
- Airport: Genesee County Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.0317° N, 78.1733° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.0317&lon=-78.1733&mi=10
- Aircraft: N15DN, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N15DN) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech A36 (registry code 1151604, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-550 series (registry code 17042, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-550-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH A36
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO-550 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 949 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA20CA203](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA203) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200601001939A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON 6/1/2020, N15DN SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE IN A GEAR UP LANDING AT GVQ (BATAVIA, NY). THE PILOT PICKED UP THE AIRCRAFT AFTER MAINTENANCE AND DEPARTED GVQ IN DAY VFR CONDITIONS. MAINTENANCE HAD CONSISTED OF AN ENGINE OIL AND FILTER CHANGE, AS WELL AS A COMM REPAIR. THE PILOT REPORTED NORMAL OPERATIONS UNTIL REACHING A CRUISING ALTITUDE OF 5500 FEET. AT THIS POINT, HE RECEIVED A GPS FAULT MESSAGE AND ELECTED TO RETURN TO GVQ FOR REPAIR. SHORTLY AFTER MAKING THE TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT, THE SECOND GPS FAILED WITH A MESSAGE THAT THERE WAS A COAX ELECTRICAL SHORT. BOTH GPS INSTRUMENTS BEGAN FLASHING, AS WELL AS THE PDF. THE PILOT BEGAN PULLING CIRCUIT BREAKERS ON THE NAV/COMM PANEL FEARING A ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT AND HOPING TO AVOID A FIRE. SINCE HE WAS HIGH AND FAST, HE BEGAN "S" TURNS TO DECREASE ALTITUDE FOR A STRAIGHT IN APPROACH TO GVQ. WHEN THE PILOT SELECTED FLAPS, THEY DID NOT EXTEND. FEARING HE HAD UNINTENTIONALLY DISABLED THEM WHEN HE PULLED THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS, HE BEGAN RESETTING THEM IN THE HOPE OF REGAINING HIS FLAPS. THE FLAPS WOULD STILL NOT EXTEND. AT THIS POINT HE PERFORMED A ZERO FLAP LANDING, BUT HAD NEVER ATTEMPTED TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON IT'S BELLY ON THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO A STOP. THE PILOT THEN EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY. THE MAINTENANCE SHOP WAS ABLE TO RAISE THE AIRCRAFT AND EXTEND THE GEAR, AND IT WAS THEN TOWED TO THE RAMP AND TIED DOWN. WHEN INTERVIEWING THE PILOT, HE WAS ASKED IF THE ALTERNATOR WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, OF IF HE HAD ANY FAILURE INDICATION. THE PILOT THEN REVIEWED VIDEO HE HAD TAKEN TO DOCUMENT THE FAILURES, AND WAS ABLE TO SEE THAT THERE WERE TWO (2) LIGHT CAPSULES IN THE GLARESHIELD, POSSIBLY LOW VOLTAGE OR ALTERNATOR FAIL ANNUNCIATORS, AND THAT ALTHOUGH THE BATTERY SWITCH WAS ON, THE ALTERNATOR AND STANDBY ALTERNATOR SWITCHES APPEAR TO BE OFF. THIS WOULD LEAD TO A DEPLETION OF THE BATTERY, AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE FAILURE MODE THAT THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED. THE PILOT PROVIDED A SIGNED STATEMENT TO THIS EFFECT.

## 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 ERA20CA203](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA203), Jun 1, 2020: Beech 36 (N15DN), Batavia, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear during a precautionary landing after an electrical failure.

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.

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