# NTSB CEN14LA354: Beech A36, N136EL, San Antonio, TX, July 1, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 1, 2014, 14:55 local (19:55 UTC) - Place: San Antonio, TX - Coordinates: 29.533889, -98.469169 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.5339&lon=-98.4692&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 4, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - San Antonio FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 89642 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14LA354 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89642/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89642 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA354 ## Probable cause The failure of the landing gear retract rod. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: landing gear actuator](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023233): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech A36, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023233/cases.md?model=1151604), [All aircraft, 54 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023233/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech A36, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=1151604), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095); 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 commercial pilot reported that, after conducting a personal flight and during the approach for landing, he attempted to lower the landing gear but that the left main landing gear did not extend. The pilot repeatedly attempted to lower the landing gear without success. He then chose to land the airplane with the landing gear retracted. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left main landing gear retract rod was fractured and buckled. Examination of the remaining landing gear components revealed no anomalies. ## Factual narrative On July 1, 2014, about 1455 central daylight time, a Beech A36 airplane, N136EL, sustained substantial damage during and intentional wheels-up landing to runway 12L at the San Antonio International Airport (SAT). The pilot and 3 passengers were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The aircraft was registered to Angel Brothers Aviation Ltd., and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on a visual flight rules flight plan. The flight originated from Baytown Airport (HPY), Baytown, Texas, at an unconfirmed time. In a telephone interview with the pilot, he stated that upon extending the landing gear he did not get a gear-down indication for the left main landing gear. He stated that the right and nose landing gear lights indicated extended. The pilot made several unsuccessful attempts to extend the landing gear. He had advised the SAT air traffic controller of the problem and elected to land the airplane with the landing gear in the retracted position. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left main landing gear retract rod had fractured and buckled near the landing gear extension motor. Examination of the retract rod confirmed that the rod eye at the end that attached to the gear motor had fractured. The bearing remained attached to the gear motor arm. The retract rod was constructed from a steel tube with a link fabricated at the end that attached to the motor. The link was composed of two formed steel plates riveted together and welded to the end of the tube. The fabricated link was bent about 90 degrees in two places. The first bend was through the eye that held the bearing, and the second bend was about five inches farther outboard. The bends were in opposite directions forming a "Z" shape. Two of the three rivets that connected the link plates together were not found. The third rivet, the farthest outboard, was intact. The steel tube was bent about 5 degrees, 20 inches from the inboard end. Examination of the remainder of the landing gear components revealed no anomalies. The only preimpact damage that was evident was the damage to the landing gear retract rod. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N136EL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N136EL-2018-02-12), registration cancelled 2018-02-12, S/N E-561, built 1974 (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-561 - Year built: 1974 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Angel Brothers Aviation Ltd - Registered owner: Angel Brothers Aviation Ltd - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: HPY, BAYTOWN, TX - Destination: SAT, San Antonio, TX - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: SAT, San Antonio Intl, runway 12L, 5,519 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 31; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: left ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 14 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 93 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.94 inHg - Observed at: KSAT ## 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 20140701012909A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140701012909A), Jul 1, 2014: Beech A36, San Antonio, TX, Substantial damage. Aircraft inbound from houston, Texas to San Antonio, Texas. Upon gear extension left main landing gear failed to extend. After several attempts to recycle the… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 18, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89642. 703 KB in all. - Record of Conversation with Pilot (item 1, .PDF, 53 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40436788&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20with%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Excerpt from Airplane IPC (item 2, .PDF, 483 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40436789&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Excerpt%20from%20Airplane%20IPC-Master.PDF - Photos of Damaged Actuator Rod (Courtesy of Recovery Crew) (item 3, .PDF, 2 photos, 167 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40436790&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos%20of%20Damaged%20Actuator%20Rod%20(Courtesy%20of%20Recovery%20Crew)-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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.