# NTSB CEN22LA183: Beech 95-B55 (T42A), N66NP, Wharton, TX, April 21, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: April 21, 2022, 17:40 local (22:40 UTC)
- Place: Wharton, TX
- Coordinates: 29.258928, -96.154829 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.2589&lon=-96.1548&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA-FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 104994
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA183
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104994/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104994
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA183

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear.

## Findings

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

- [Landing gear system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not used/operated (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200/cases.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 113 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200/cases.md)
- [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Landing: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that he had performed three takeoffs and landings without incident. During the fourth landing, he “flared the airplane at stall speed”. He “heard a noise under the fuselage even though the landing gear lever was engaged in the down position.” The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage structure during the landing. During a postaccident examination the landing gear extended and retracted normally. The landing gear position lights and the landing gear unsafe warning horn both functioned as designed. There were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N66NP](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N66NP), registered now, S/N TC-1407, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH 95-B55 (T42A)
- Registry model: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A)](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-95-b55-t42a) (registry code 1152706) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental I0-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (registry code 17027, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: TC-1407
- Year built: 1971
- Airframe hours: 8568
- Engines: Continental IO-470-L 260 horsepower reciprocating; Continental IO-470-L 260 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, December 21, 2021
- Departed: ARM, Wharton, TX
- Destination: ARM, Wharton, TX
- Airport: ARM, Wharton, runway 14, 6,000 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 13, 2022; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 1,250 total, 703 in this make and model, 1,179 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 140° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observed at: KARM, 8 nm away
- METAR: KARM 212215Z AUTO 14012G19KT 10SM SCT034 28/18 A3009 RMK AO2 T02810184

## 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 20220421005689A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220421005689A), Apr 21, 2022: Beech 95-B55 (T42A), Wharton, TX, Substantial damage. The houston flight standards district office received a call from the FAA southwest region operations center indicating that while conducting practice takeoffs…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 11, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104994. 40.4 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13780218&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 895 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13781504&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Docket%20Pics-Rel.pdf
- Maintenance records (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 37.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13781514&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Maintenance%20Log_Redacted-Rel.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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