- Date
- March 10, 2010, 17:30 local (Mar 11, 2010, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Marfa, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N541BBeech A35
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 1, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20100310029059A
- Case key
- 75480
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 extend the landing gear.
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 landing flare the pilot realized that his landing gear had not been extended when the "step" contacted the runway. He initiated a go-around; however, the airplane did not climb as expected. The pilot turned the airplane to the right in an attempt to land on runway 21. When it was apparent that the pilot would not make it to runway 21 he extended the landing gear, at which time the airplane descended rapidly and impacted terrain. The left main landing gear and nose landing gear collapsed. A postimpact examination revealed that the left wing spar and ribs were damaged. Further examination revealed that the propeller had impacted the runway during the first landing attempt. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
According to a telephone conversation with the pilot, during the landing flare, he realized that his landing gear had not been extended when the "step" contacted the runway. He initiated a go-around; however, the airplane did not climb as expected. The pilot turned the airplane to the right in an attempt to land on runway 21. When it was apparent that the pilot would not make it to runway 21, he extended the landing gear at which time the airplane descended rapidly and impacted terrain. The left main landing gear and nose landing gear collapsed. A post impact examination revealed that the left wing spar and ribs were damaged. Further examination revealed that the propeller had impacted the runway during the first landing attempt. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N541B
- Reported as
- Beech A35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-1559
- Airframe hours
- 7,965
- Engine
- Cont Motor E185 SERIES, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 28, 2010
- Departed
- MAF · Midland, TX
- Destination
- KMRF · Marfa, TX
- Airport
- KMRF · Marfa Municipal Airport
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
- 73
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 29, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 18,276 total · 3,330 in this make and model · 17,500 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 24 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 9 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.71 inHg
- Observed at
- KMRF, 1 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 19, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 253 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.