# NTSB CEN23LA407: Beech 95-B55 (T42A), N2KM, Greeley, CO, August 30, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: August 29, 2023, 19:40 local (Aug 30, 2023, 01:40 UTC)
- Place: Greeley, CO
- Coordinates: 40.427878, -104.63339 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4279&lon=-104.6334&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 3
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA-FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 193043
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA407
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193043/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193043
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA407

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear. Contributing to the accident was a malfunction of the landing gear warning horn for undetermined reasons.

## Findings

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

- [Landing gear system: gear position and warning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023260): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Inoperative (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023260/cases.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023260/cases.md)
- [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not used/operated (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/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)
- [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540/cases.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 231 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540/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 conducted a practice instrument approach to a landing and chose to remain in the traffic pattern for a second landing in dusk light conditions. While he was on final approach, he was performing the pre-landing checklist (gas, undercarriage, mixture, props) when he was distracted “by what appeared to be another aircraft ahead of me…” However, he could not locate the object again after visually scanning the traffic pattern. During the landing, he heard the main wheels briefly on the runway surface immediately followed by the sound of the airplane’s lower fuselage contacting the runway surface. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the exterior of the landing gear doors, along with the lower fuselage skin and underlying structure, had substantial abrasion damage with no damage to the landing gear structure or linkages. The landing gear operated normally during multiple gear retraction and extension tests. However, during the landing gear test, the cockpit landing gear warning system failed to sound an audible warning for reasons that could not be determined. Based on available information, it is likely that the pilot failed to extend the airplane’s landing gear before touchdown on the runway.

## Factual narrative

On August 29, 2023, about 1940 mountain daylight time, a Beech 95-B55, N2KM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Greeley, Colorado. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he had conducted a practice instrument approach to a landing on runway 35 and chose to remain in the traffic pattern for a second landing. He stated that while he was “engaging gear and first stage flaps,” he heard a radio call from another airplane that was in the vicinity of the traffic pattern. He stated that while he was on final approach for the second landing, he was performing the pre-landing checklist (gas, undercarriage, mixture, props) when he was distracted “by what appeared to be another aircraft ahead of me…” However, he could not locate the object again after visually scanning the traffic pattern. During the landing, the pilot stated that he briefly heard the main landing gear wheels touch the runway surface followed by the sound of the airplane’s lower fuselage contacting the runway surface. The airplane slid on its fuselage and came to rest on the runway with the landing gear in the retracted position, which resulted in substantial damage to the lower fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the exterior of the landing gear doors, along with the lower fuselage skin and underlying structure, had substantial abrasion damage with no damage to the landing gear structure or linkages. During several landing gear retraction and extension tests, the landing gear operated normally. However, during the landing gear tests, the cockpit landing gear warning system failed to sound an audible warning. A review of the airframe logbook showed that an annual inspection was performed on January 7, 2023. The inspection included a landing gear retraction and extension test with no issues noted in the inspection logbook entry.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2KM](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2KM), registered now, S/N TC-1608, built 1973 (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-1608
- Year built: 1973
- Airframe hours: 3324.1
- Engines: Continental IO-520E(7B) 300 horsepower reciprocating; Continental IO-520E(7B) 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Rocky Mountain Aviation LLC
- Registered owner: Rocky Mountain Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, January 7, 2023
- Departed: KBJC, Broomfield, CO
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: GXY, Greeley/Weld County, runway 35, 10,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 67; injuries: none; private, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 8, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,489 total, 1,247 in this make and model, 1,489 as pilot in command, 7 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk
- Wind: 100° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observed at: KGXY
- METAR: KGXY 300156Z AUTO 10006KT 10SM CLR 17/10 A3023 RMK AO2 SLP212 T01720100 55000

## 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 20230829013939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230829013939A), Aug 29, 2023: Beech 95-B55 (T42A), Greeley, CO, Substantial damage. On August 29, 2023, at approximately 2015 MDT, a Beech 95-B55 airplane landed on runway 35 at Greeley-Weld County Airport (kgxy) with the landing gear…

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 26, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193043. 55.1 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16862993&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photo array (item 2, PDF, 6 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16862916&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf
- Airframe maintenace records - excerpts (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 4.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16864601&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N2KM%20Airframe%20Logs_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Follow-up examination (item 4, PDF, 4 pages, 125 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16864364&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Examination%20Summary-Rel.pdf
- Landing gear test video - cockpit view (item 5, MOV, 32.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16862325&FileExtension=MOV&FileName=IMG_0619-Rel.MOV
- Landing gear test video - outside view (item 6, MOV, 14.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16862602&FileExtension=MOV&FileName=IMG_1164-Rel.MOV

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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