What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 8/6/2024 at approximately 1545 EDT, a Beech aircraft model 58, operating under 14 CFR part 135 on demand, experienced a gear up landing at Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport (azo) that resulted in substantial damage. The aircraft had one pilot and two passengers on board during the accident with no reported injuries.
On 8/6/2024 the pilot operated in visual meteorological conditions for the purpose of returning two passengers for an on-demand 14 CFR part 135 aircraft charter. The flight departed from winchester regional airport (okv) with the pilot and two passengers at approximately 1250 EDT returning to azo for passenger drop-off. The pilot stated he encountered weather that resulted in numerous deviations, however the last thirty minutes of the flight was “relatively smooth.” the weather reported in the approximate area azo indicated wind from 050 at 10 knots and gusting to 16 knots. The visibility was reported at 10 statute miles. The pilot stated he requested a straight in approach to runway 35. The pilot stated, “our procedures that we train and normally execute is to do a final landing check at 500' AGL for whatever reason that was not done. Maybe the being distracted with the corrections that were being required to stay on the approach, the final check was not accomplished. As I entered the flare, I reduced power and the gear horn sounded. I quickly realized my mistake and extended the gear, but it was too little too late.” the aircraft landed gear up, emergency crews responded, and no injuries were reported. Maintenance crews lifted the aircraft with airbags and manually extended the landing gear in the down position. The maintenance crews repositioned the aircraft to the local maintenance facility. Photos sent from airport operations immediately after the accident showed the throttle levers in a mid to forward position with the mixture in a full rich position. The landing gear switch was set in the down position and aircraft power was off when the photos were taken. During the initial conversation the pilot stated he did not check for the appropriate indications to verify the landing gear was down and locked.
The aircraft damage is as follows:
The aircraft received substantial damage to the bottom surfaces to include the spar carry through, aircraft skin worn, wear and cracks of structural members, punctures, antenna wear, and the entry footstep separated from aircraft. The left and right flaps are worn, and aft surface separated. Landing gear components were damaged. The aircraft propellers were bent back, and engine received internal damage resulting from the propeller strikes.
The certificate holder’s district office (chdo) was notified of the accident and any follow up action has been deferred to the chdo.
As the FAA filed it
ON 8/6/2024 AT APPROXIMATELY 1545 EDT, A BEECH AIRCRAFT MODEL 58, OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 135 ON DEMAND, EXPERIENCED A GEAR UP LANDING AT KALAMAZOO/BATTLE CREEK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (AZO) THAT RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT HAD ONE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS ON BOARD DURING THE ACCIDENT WITH NO REPORTED INJURIES.
ON 8/6/2024 THE PILOT OPERATED IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF RETURNING TWO PASSENGERS FOR AN ON-DEMAND 14 CFR PART 135 AIRCRAFT CHARTER. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM WINCHESTER REGIONAL AIRPORT (OKV) WITH THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS AT APPROXIMATELY 1250 EDT RETURNING TO AZO FOR PASSENGER DROP-OFF. THE PILOT STATED HE ENCOUNTERED WEATHER THAT RESULTED IN NUMEROUS DEVIATIONS, HOWEVER THE LAST THIRTY MINUTES OF THE FLIGHT WAS “RELATIVELY SMOOTH.” THE WEATHER REPORTED IN THE APPROXIMATE AREA AZO INDICATED WIND FROM 050 AT 10 KNOTS AND GUSTING TO 16 KNOTS. THE VISIBILITY WAS REPORTED AT 10 STATUTE MILES. THE PILOT STATED HE REQUESTED A STRAIGHT IN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 35. THE PILOT STATED, “OUR PROCEDURES THAT WE TRAIN AND NORMALLY EXECUTE IS TO DO A FINAL LANDING CHECK AT 500' AGL FOR WHATEVER REASON THAT WAS NOT DONE. MAYBE THE BEING DISTRACTED WITH THE CORRECTIONS THAT WERE BEING REQUIRED TO STAY ON THE APPROACH, THE FINAL CHECK WAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED. AS I ENTERED THE FLARE, I REDUCED POWER AND THE GEAR HORN SOUNDED. I QUICKLY REALIZED MY MISTAKE AND EXTENDED THE GEAR, BUT IT WAS TOO LITTLE TOO LATE.” THE AIRCRAFT LANDED GEAR UP, EMERGENCY CREWS RESPONDED, AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. MAINTENANCE CREWS LIFTED THE AIRCRAFT WITH AIRBAGS AND MANUALLY EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR IN THE DOWN POSITION. THE MAINTENANCE CREWS REPOSITIONED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LOCAL MAINTENANCE FACILITY. PHOTOS SENT FROM AIRPORT OPERATIONS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACCIDENT SHOWED THE THROTTLE LEVERS IN A MID TO FORWARD POSITION WITH THE MIXTURE IN A FULL RICH POSITION. THE LANDING GEAR SWITCH WAS SET IN THE DOWN POSITION AND AIRCRAFT POWER WAS OFF WHEN THE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN. DURING THE INITIAL CONVERSATION THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT CHECK FOR THE APPROPRIATE INDICATIONS TO VERIFY THE LANDING GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED.
THE AIRCRAFT DAMAGE IS AS FOLLOWS:
THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE BOTTOM SURFACES TO INCLUDE THE SPAR CARRY THROUGH, AIRCRAFT SKIN WORN, WEAR AND CRACKS OF STRUCTURAL MEMBERS, PUNCTURES, ANTENNA WEAR, AND THE ENTRY FOOTSTEP SEPARATED FROM AIRCRAFT. THE LEFT AND RIGHT FLAPS ARE WORN, AND AFT SURFACE SEPARATED. LANDING GEAR COMPONENTS WERE DAMAGED. THE AIRCRAFT PROPELLERS WERE BENT BACK, AND ENGINE RECEIVED INTERNAL DAMAGE RESULTING FROM THE PROPELLER STRIKES.
THE CERTIFICATE HOLDER’S DISTRICT OFFICE (CHDO) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ACCIDENT AND ANY FOLLOW UP ACTION HAS BEEN DEFERRED TO THE CHDO.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.