# NTSB CHI94LA235: Beech 17, N1184V, Elgin, NE, July 17, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 17, 1994, 10:20 local (15:20 UTC) - Place: Elgin, NE - Coordinates: 41.98027, -98.08007 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9803&lon=-98.0801&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 19, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9599 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI94LA235 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9599/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI94LA235 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the road sign. Factors in the accident were the sign and the failure of the landing gear to extend into the full down and locked position. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, landing - aborted - object - sign (contributing factor) - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - landing gear - inoperative (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - aborted ## Analysis THE PILOT EXTENDED THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING GEAR WHILE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG IN PREPARATION FOR LANDING. ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. WHEN HE FLARED THE AIRPLANE FOR TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT REALIZED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS SETTLING CLOSER TO THE GROUND THAN NORMAL. HE ELECTED TO GO AROUND AND ADDED FULL POWER. WHILE CLIMBING, THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING STRUCK A ROAD SIGN LOCATED AT THE WEST END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE LANDED ON A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY WITH THE GEAR PARTIALLY EXTENDED. A POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE LANDING GEAR WAS PERFORMED. A COMPLETE RETRACTION CHECK COULD NOT BE PERFORMED DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE DAMAGE TO THE GEAR RETRACTION SYSTEM. DURING THE TEST, THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR STOPPED TWICE WITHOUT ANY EXTERNAL INFLUENCE. ## Factual narrative On July 17, 1994, at 1020 central daylight time, a Beech 17, N1184V, sustained substantial damage when it struck a sign during an aborted landing at a private airstrip in Elgin, Nebraska. The commercial pilot landed the airplane on an adjacent field. The pilot reported he elected to abort the landing because he was unable to fully extend the airplane's landing gear. Neither the pilot, nor his sole passenger were injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight originated in Columbus, Nebraska, without flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. According to the pilot, he lowered the landing gear in preparation to land while on the downwind leg at Elgin. All indications were normal. When he flared the airplane for touchdown, the pilot realized that the airplane was settling closer to the ground then normal. He elected to go around and added full power. While climbing, the airplane's right wing struck a road sign which was located at the west end of the runway. The airplane landed on a field approximately 100 feet from the runway with the gear partially extended. A postaccident examination of the airplane was performed by the FAA. A complete retraction check on the landing gear could not be done due to the severity of the damage to the gear retraction system. The landing gear motor was operated in both directions by selecting the landing gear selector in both the up and down positions. During the test, the landing gear motor did stop twice without any external influence. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1184V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1184V), registered now, S/N 6748, built 1944 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH 17 - Registry model: [Beech D17S](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-d17s) (registry code 1150538) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-985 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (registry code 52008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 6748 - Airframe hours: 1535 - Engines: P&W R-985-AN-3 450 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Overturf Electric Motors Inc. - Registered owner: Overturf Electric Motors Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Special, Provisional (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, April 30, 1994, 8 hours before - Departed: OLU, COLUMBUS, NE - Destination: NONE, NE - Airport: NONE, Koinzan, runway 27, 2,600 × 100 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 2,000 total, 450 in this make and model, 1,850 as pilot in command, 14 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg ## 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 19940717018569A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940717018569A), Jul 17, 1994: Beech D17S, Elgin, NE, Substantial damage. Became aware gear not full down on flare. Began go around. Wing hit sign. Settled off runway on partial gear. 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.