- Date
- October 11, 1991, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Franklin, NC
- Injuries
- 3 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N37MCBeech F33A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 10, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911011045929A
- Case key
- 8532
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to lower the landing gear resulting in a gear up contact with the runway, and the eventual loss of control of the airplane.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While in the flare, the propeller blades began to contact the runway surface. The pilot realized that he had not extended the landing gear prior to the approach. He executed a go around while lowering the gear. Flaps remained full down. He was unable to take off straight ahead due to rising terrain, so he executed a 180 degree turn back towards the airport. Unable to maintain altitude, he landed the airplane in a nearby plowed field. On landing roll, the airplane crossed a creek bed and collided with the west bank of the creek. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the airplane. An examination of the airplane after the accident revealed that the gear warning circuit breaker was tripped. An examination of the runway revealed numerous propeller slash marks. The propeller blade tips were scored and curled.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N37MC
- Reported as
- Beech F33A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CE-1258
- Airframe hours
- 520
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-BB, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hill, Robert J.
- Registered owner
- Hill, Robert J.
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 24, 1991 · 370 hours before
- Departed
- AVL · Asheville, NC
- Airport
- 1A5 · Macon County, runway 25, 3,800 × 60 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 520 total · 332 in this make and model · 436 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AVL, 44 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.