# Accident 20250316001989A: Beech C90A, Helena, MT, March 16, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 16, 2025, 14:25 local time
- Place: Helena, MT
- Airport: Helena Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: EFUA
- Location: 46.6067° N, 111.9833° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.6067&lon=-111.9833&mi=10
- Aircraft: N513JM, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N513JM) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech C90A (registry code 1152911, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-c90a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A series (registry code 52032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH C90A
- Reported engine: P&W PT6A SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,800 total, 108 in this make and model, 36 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR25LA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA122) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250316001989A

## Narrative

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

ON MARCH 16, 2025, AT 1425 MDT, A BEECH C90A, SUFFERED A LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSE DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT AT HELENA REGIONAL AIRPORT, HELENA, MONTANA, WHILE ON AN EVALUATION FLIGHT (CHECK-RIDE) FOR THE PIC. THE INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR WIRING HARNESSES WERE ROUTED AND CLAMPED INCORRECTLY PER THE KING AIR 90 SERIES MAINTENANCE MANUAL (REV D3). THIS CAUSED THE CLAMPS TO CONTACT THE GEAR UP-POSITION SWITCH BRACKET EACH TIME THE GEAR WAS RETRACTED. IT APPEARS THAT ON MARCH 16, 2025, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR UP-POSITION SWITCH BRACKET BROKE AT THE MOUNTING SURFACE. THIS ALLOWED THE WIRING HARNESS TO TANGLE IN THE LANDING GEAR. WHEN THE GEAR EXTENDED MULTIPLE WIRES IN THE HARNESS WERE BROKEN CAUSING ELECTRIC SHORTS LEADING TO TRIPPED CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND INCORRECT OPERATION OF THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM. BOTH PILOTS STATED THAT THEY CYCLED THE GEAR THREE TIMES AND DID NOT RECEIVE A NOSE GEAR DOWN INDICATION ONCE AND LEFT MAIN DOWN TWICE. ON THE THIRD GEAR DOWN CYCLE THERE WAS NO GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATION FOR THE LEFT MAIN. THEY DID NOT RECEIVE AN UNSAFE LANDING GEAR WARNING HORN OR THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE UNLOCKED/IN-TRANSIT LIGHTS. THE PIC REQUESTED A LOW PASS OF THE HELENA MONTANA TOWER AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL PERSONNEL REPORTED THAT THE GEAR APPEARED TO BE DOWN. BOTH PILOTS STATED THAT THEY DID NOT EXECUTE THE MANUAL EXTENSION CHECKLIST AS THEY BELIEVED IT WAS AN INDICATING SYSTEM PROBLEM. THEY PROCEEDED TO LAND WITH A LEFT MAIN UNSAFE GEAR CONDITION. WHILE TURNING LEFT ONTO A TAXIWAY AT THE END OF THE LANDING ROLLOUT THE LEFT MAIN COLLAPSED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE CHECK AIRMAN AND EXAMINEE PILOT WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BLOCKING RUNWAY 27 SO IT WAS MOVED TO A HANGAR ON THE SOUTH END OF THE AIRPORT. DURING RECOVERY OPERATIONS A MECHANIC PERFORMED THE MANUAL EXTENSION PROCEDURE AND RECEIVED A COCKPIT ANNUNCIATOR DOWN AND LOCKED GEAR INDICATION FOR THE NOSE AND BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT HELENA, MONTANA, ON MARCH 16, 2025, AT 1231 MDT.

## 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 WPR25LA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA122), Mar 16, 2025: Beech C90A (N513JM), Helena, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the left main landing gear to fully extend and lock as a result of broken downlock switch wires and the failure of the pilots to complete the manual gear extension checklist.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.