# NTSB ANC98LA159: Beech A36, N1820L, New Stuyahok, AK, September 26, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 25, 1998, 17:40 local (Sep 26, 1998, 01:40 UTC) - Place: New Stuyahok, AK - Coordinates: 59.490089, -157.289031 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=59.4901&lon=-157.2890&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 30, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 44038 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC98LA159 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/44038/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA159 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear prior to landing. Factors associated with this accident were the pilot's interference with his normal habit pattern, turbulence, and the crosswind condition during landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Wheels up landing, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - turbulence (contributing factor) - gear extension - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - habit interference, pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) ## Analysis The commercial pilot was landing with a 25 knot, gusting, crosswind. He told the NTSB investigator-in-charge that due to turbulence he had slowed the airplane and extended 20 degrees of flaps while in cruise flight. His normal habit was to extend the landing gear to slow the airplane prior to flap extension. He stated that he forgot to extend the landing gear, heard the 'gear up' warning horn too late to go-around, and landed with the wheels retracted. ## Factual narrative On September 25, 1998, at 1740 Alaska daylight time, a Beech A36 airplane, N1820L, sustained substantial damage when it landed with the landing gear retracted at the Stuyahok Airport, New Stuyahok, Alaska. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated by Lake Clark Air, Inc., of Port Alsworth, Alaska. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight, and departed Port Alsworth at 1645 for New Stuyahok. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a company VFR flight plan was filed. The accident pilot said during a telephone interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) on September 25, and wrote in his NTSB Pilot / Operator report, that there was a right crosswind of 20 knots, with gusts to 25 knots. He stated that he had slowed the airplane into flap operating range in cruise due to turbulence, and extended 20 degrees of flaps. His normal habit pattern was to extend landing gear to slow the airplane prior to flap extension. The pilot told the IIC that he forgot to lower the landing gear prior to landing. He heard the "gear up" warning horn too late to make a go-around. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1820L](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1820L), registered now, S/N E-843, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech A36 - Registry model: [Beech A36](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36) (registry code 1151604) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: E-843 - Airframe hours: 11139 - Engines: Continental IO-520-BA 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Glen Alsworth, doing business as Lake Clark Air, Inc. - Registered owner: Glen Alsworth - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 11, 1998, 39 hours before - Departed: PALJ, PORT ALSWORTH, AK - Destination: KNW, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: KNW, New Stuyahok, runway 15, 1,800 × 50 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 5,600 total, 600 in this make and model, 400 in the last 90 days, 150 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 20 knots, gusting 25 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 45 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19980925026659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980925026659A), Sep 25, 1998: Beech A36, New Stuyahok, AK, Substantial damage. (-23)The pilot stated that he heard a "beep-beep-beep" sound and thought the stall warning was malfunctioning. By the time he realized that it was the gear… ## Other investigations on N1820L (3) 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 ANC21LA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA027), Mar 20, 2021: Beech A36 (N1820L), Port Alsworth, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's misidentification of the airport’s active runway, which resulted in an off runway landing and a collision with a snow berm. Contributing to the accident was the runway’s lack of… - [NTSB ANC13CA038](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC13CA038), Apr 15, 2013: Beech A36 (N1820L), Port Alsworth, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the left main landing gear retraction brace assembly, resulting in the collapse of the left main landing gear. - [NTSB ANC01LA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC01LA010), Oct 12, 2000: Beech BE-A36 (N1820L), Nondalton, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadvertent retraction of the landing gear during the landing roll. 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. --- 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.