# NTSB CEN12LA434: Beech A36, N136EH, New Orleans, LA, June 27, 2012

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: June 26, 2012, 19:30 local (Jun 27, 2012, 00:30 UTC)
- Place: New Orleans, LA
- Coordinates: 30.042222, -90.028053 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0422&lon=-90.0281&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 12, 2013
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 84285
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN12LA434
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/84285/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84285
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA434

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to lower the landing gear before touchdown.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Landing gear system: main landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not used/operated (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech A36, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/cases.md?model=1151604), [All aircraft, 241 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/cases.md)
- [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech A36, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=1151604), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech A36, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=1151604), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The accident pilot reported that he extended the airplane’s landing gear and observed three green lights indicating that the gear was extended before landing. The pilot stated that the airplane touched down, bounced, and then settled on the runway again. The pilot said that during the second touchdown “it felt as thought the gear was not sound,” and he tried unsuccessfully to perform a go-around. The airplane skidded to a stop on the runway. When the accident airplane was removed from the runway after the accident, its landing gear was found in the retracted position, and ground scars on the runway and damage to the airplane’s propellers, landing gear doors, and belly were consistent with the landing gear not being extended before landing. Further, a witness in an airplane flying abeam the accident airplane during its approach to land reported that he did not see its landing gear extended. Postaccident examination revealed no indication of preimpact malfunction or anomaly that would have precluded normal operation of the landing gear. Although an intermittent landing gear horn anomaly was noted during postaccident examination, it could not be determined if that anomaly existed before the accident.

## Factual narrative

On June 26, 2012, about 1930 central daylight time, a Beech A36, N136EH, landed with its wheels retracted on runway 36L (6,879 feet by 150 feet, dry grooved asphalt) at the Lakefront Airport (NEW), near New Orleans, Louisiana. The private pilot and his two passengers were uninjured. The airplane sustained substantial lower fuselage damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by Hatfield Enterprises LLC under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual flight rules (VFR) conditions prevailed for the flight, which did not operate on a VFR flight plan. The flight originated from the Shreveport Downtown Airport, near Shreveport, Louisiana, about 1735, and was destined for NEW. According to the pilot’s report, he lowered the landing gear approximately five miles out while the airplane was on an extended downwind. He observed three green landing lights and felt the wind resistance as the gear engaged in the down position. He selected 10 degrees of flaps during the turn to the base leg. The pilot, in part, stated: Momentarily we touched down over the numbers. As we touched down on the gear the aircraft bounced and then touched down again. As the aircraft touched down this time It felt as though the gear was not sound. I then engaged full power to initiate a go-around. As I initiated full power the aircraft remained in ground effect. The aircraft remained in ground effect and did not gain a positive rate of climb. As I could not climb I advised passenger to unlatch the rear door as I reached over the front passenger to unlatch his door. I turned fuel to the ‘off’ position as I settled the aircraft on the runway I turned off the mags and master during the prop strike. The aircraft proceeded to skid and came to rest approximately 2000' from the end of 36L. According to a flight instructor, who was instructing a student in the pattern at NEW, the accident pilot announced he was in bound to NEW from 5 miles out. The instructor, in part, stated: We conceded 36L to the beech and told him that we would continue in left traffic for 36R so he could have the big runway. As we were abeam the numbers I looked to my right and saw the beech about 100 feet above me and 1/4 mile to the right of me and he seemed pretty oblivious to my presence as he preceded to cut us off by turning a short left base for 36L. I continued to watch the beech on base and never observed the landing gear go down and my student even commented that the beech looked like it was going in fast. Since the beech had made such a short approach to 36L we announced we would once again be landing on 36L #2 behind the beech; as we turned base-to-final we saw lots of smoke on the runway and the aircraft veering to the right towards the grass that separates 36L and taxiway bravo. The beech pilot, obviously distressed, commanded us to perform a go-around and we obliged. Photographs taken by first responders showed media transfer on the runway consistentwith the chrome step. The landing gear were retracted in their wheel wells on the runway and during the airplane's recovery.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N136EH](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N136EH), registered now, S/N E-1555, built 1979 (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-1555
- Airframe hours: 4326
- Engines: CONT MOTOR IO-520-BB 285 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Hatfield Enterprises LLC
- Registered owner: Hatfield Enterprises LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, September 2, 2011
- Departed: DTN, Shreveport, LA
- Destination: NEW, New Orleans, LA
- Airport: NEW, Lakefront Airport, runway 36L, 6,879 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 40; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 3, 2012; seat: left; flight hours: 977 total, 400 in this make and model, 826 as pilot in command, 97 in the last 90 days, 36 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 93 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observed at: NEW

## 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 20120626014789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120626014789A), Jun 26, 2012: Beech A36, New Orleans, LA, Substantial damage. Aircraft was landing Lakefront Airport rwy 36L ,made a gear up landing, and aircraft skidded approxamently 3000 feet coming to full stop.

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 16, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84285. 6.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 5.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40385976&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Revised Page (item 2, .PDF, 723 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40385996&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20-%20Revised%20Page-Redacted.PDF
- Witness Statement (item 3, .PDF, 94 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40385997&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Redacted.PDF
- Miscellaneous - Mechanic's Statement (item 4, .PDF, 114 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389304&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous%20-%20Mechanic%27s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF
- Photo - Image of the runway and airplane (supplied by the airport fire department) (item 5, .PDF, 369 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389081&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20-%20Image%20of%20the%20runway%20and%20airplane%20(supplied%20by%20the%20airport%20fire%20department)-Master.PDF
- Photo - Image of the airplane during its recovery (supplied by the airport fire department) (item 6, .PDF, 184 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389082&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20-%20Image%20of%20the%20airplane%20during%20its%20recovery%20(supplied%20by%20the%20airport%20fire%20department)-Master.PDF

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.

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