- Date
- June 2, 1990, 10:18 local (14:18 UTC)
- Place
- Gaithersburg, MD
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2003ABeech 36
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 8, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900602018119A
- Case key
- 11548
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
Failure of the pilot to extend the landing gear, which resulted in a wheels up landing; his improper decision to attempt a go around (aborted landing) after the airplane contacted the runway; and his failure to attain or maintain adequate airspeed while attempting to climb after liftoff.
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
Witnesses noticed the airplane was on final approach to runway 14 with the gear up. Some of the witnesses radioed the pilot to alert him of the gear position, but he did not respond. The airplane landed gear up, but soon afterwards, it became airborne, climbed about 30 feet, and descended in a left bank. The airplane struck the ground east of the runway and cartwheeled; it came to a stop on an adjacent taxiway. An investigation revealed there were about 60 propeller slash marks on the runway. An aircraft examination did not disclose evidence of mechanical malfunction. Examination of the landing gear actuator revealed it was in a transit position, which was about three turns of the manual gear handle from the full up (retracted) position of the gear.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2003A
- Reported as
- Beech 36
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- E-166
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-BA8, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Tri-H Corporation
- Registered owner
- Tri-H Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 27, 1989
- Departed
- RIC · Richmond, VA
- Destination
- GAI · Gaithersburg, MD
- Airport
- GAI · Montgomery County Airpark, runway 14, 4,196 × 75 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
- 57
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,299 total · 2 in this make and model · 1,221 as pilot in command · 39 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BWI, 999 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.