# Accident 20201229017419A: Beech 95-B55 (T42A), Westfield, MA, December 29, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 29, 2020, 12:17 local time
- Place: Westfield, MA
- Airport: Westfield-Barnes Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.1583° N, 72.7160° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.1583&lon=-72.7160&mi=10
- Aircraft: N916MT, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N916MT) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech 95-B55 (T42A) (registry code 1152706, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-95-b55-t42a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental I0-470 series (registry code 17027, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH 95-B55 (T42A)
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR I0-470 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,564 total, 168 in this make and model, 21 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA21LA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA093) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201229017419A

## Narrative

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

N916MT; ON APPROACH TO BAF, PILOT RECEIVED ATIS "INFORMATION WHISKEY", REPORTING RUNWAY 33 IN USE, WINDS 330 AT 18 GUSTING TO 30.  PILOT ENTERED DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 33.

ON DOWNWIND PILOT PERFORMED "GUMPS" (GEAR, UNDERCARRIAGE, MIXTURE, PROP) PRE-LANDING CHECK OUT LOUD.

ON FINAL APPROACH, PILOT AGAIN PERFORMED "GUMPS" PRE-LANDING CHECK. THE PILOT DECIDED ON A NO-FLAPS LANDING DUE TO WIND GUSTS.

THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING LANDING THE AIRCRAFT BALLOONED, AT WHICH TIME HE CHECKED THE GEAR LEVER WITH HIS HAND AND BELIEVED THE LANDING GEAR WAS DOWN.

IN THE VIDEO PROVIDED BY BAF AIRPORT MANAGER, THE AIRCRAFT, ON SHORT FINAL TO RUNWAY 33, DID NOT HAVE ITS LANDING GEAR EXTENDED.  THE AIRCRAFT PROPELLERS CONTACTED THE RUNWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 1300 FEET PAST THE APPROACH THRESHOLD AND CONTINUED TO IMPACT THE SURFACE FOR THE NEXT 500 FEET.  THE AIRCRAFT BALLOONED TO APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET OFF THE GROUND AT ABOUT 1800 FEET PAST THE RUNWAY APPROACH THRESHOLD, AT WHICH TIME THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED.  THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND THE PILOT LOST CONTROL, WITH THE LEFT WING IMPACTING THE GROUND AT THE RUNWAY EDGE APPROXIMATELY 2100 FEET PAST THE APPROACH THRESHOLD.  THE AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AS THE AIRCRAFT SPUN AND SKIDDED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION WITH  RUNWAY 02-20, COMING TO REST IN THE GRASS ADJACENT TO RUNWAY 02-20 AND TAXIWAY "A".

## 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 ERA21LA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA093), Dec 29, 2020: Beech 95-B55 (T42A) (N916MT), Westfield, MA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing and his failure to confirm that the landing gear was extended before landing.

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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