- Date
- May 19, 2009, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Englewood, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1945DBeech C35
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Landing gear collapse
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090519006319A
- Case key
- 73870
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 collapse of the landing gear due to the mechanic's failure to properly wire the landing gear squat switch.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
During the takeoff roll, the airplane's main landing gear partially retracted and the nose landing gear collapsed completely. The airplane's left wing impacted the ground, resulting in structural damage. The airplane came to rest in an upright position on the runway and the pilot and the airplane's mechanic were able to exit the airplane unassisted. Following the accident, an examination of the landing gear revealed that the mechanic had wired the landing gear squat switch incorrectly, resulting in a retraction of the landing gear once the landing strut was extended.
Factual narrative
During the takeoff roll, the airplane's main landing gear partially retracted and the nose landing gear collapsed completely. The airplane's left wing impacted the ground, resulting in structural damage. The airplane came to rest in an upright position on the runway, and the pilot and the airplane's mechanic were able to exit the airplane unassisted. Following the accident, an examination of the landing gear revealed that the mechanic had wired the landing gear squat switch incorrectly; resulting in a retraction of the landing gear once the landing strut was extended.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1945D
- Reported as
- Beech C35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-3223
- Airframe hours
- 5,591
- Engine
- Cont Motor E-225-8, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Schetgen Jeff E
- Registered owner
- Schetgen Jeff E
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 16, 2008
- Departed
- APA · Englewood, CO
- Destination
- FTG · Denver, CO
- Airport
- APA · Centennial Airport, runway 35L, 7,000 × 77 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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 15, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,675 total · 1 in this make and model · 4,806 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- APA
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 25, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 514 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N1945D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.