- Date
- March 14, 1995, 22:45 local (Mar 15, 1995, 03:45 UTC)
- Place
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N930DPBeech 58
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 9858
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the failure of the landing gear bushing for the actuator worm gear which resulted in both the normal and emergency gear extension systems being inoperative.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated he heard a 'snap' at the end of the gear retraction sequence after taking off. He stated all gear lights indicated that the gear was stowed properly. As the airplane approached the destination airport, the pilot was unable to extend the landing gear. He then attempted to extend the gear manually, but there was no tension on the handcrank. Unable to correct the problem, the pilot landed gear up. A postaccident examination of the landing gear revealed a bushing (p/n 35- 810077-3) for the actuator worm gear had fractured.
Factual narrative
On March 14, 1995, at 2245 eastern standard time, a Beech 58, N930DP, operated by Welch Aviation, Inc., Alpena, Michigan, was substantially damaged when it landed with its landing gear in the retracted position at Kent County International Airport, Grand Rapids, Michigan. The pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The 14 CFR Part 135 cargo flight originated from Jackson, Michigan, at 1930. An IFR flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
After taking off from Jackson County-Reynolds Field Airport, the pilot stated he heard a "snap" at the end of the gear retraction sequence. He stated all gear lights indicated that the gear was stowed and the airplane was climbing normally, so he decided to continue the flight to Grand Rapids. As they approached Grand Rapids, the pilot stated that he was unable to extend the landing gear. "I then executed the landing gear manual extension checklist, but there was no tension on the handcrank and no indications on the lights," the pilot stated. "At this time I began to anticipate a gear up landing."
For two and a half hours, the pilot and passenger circled the airport trying to correct the problem and to burn fuel in preparation for a possible gear up landing. The pilot was unable to extend the landing gear. At 2230, the pilot stated they began to prepare for a gear up landing. He followed the gear up landing checklist in the Pilot's Operating Handbook and landed the airplane gear up on Runway 26L.
A postaccident investigation of the landing gear revealed a bushing, (P/N 35-810077-3), for the actuator worm gear fractured.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N930DP
- Reported as
- Beech 58
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- TH-729
- Airframe hours
- 6,081
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-C/-CB, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Welch Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- JXN · Jackson, MI
- Destination
- GRR
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- GRR · Kent County International, runway 26, 10,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 34
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,133 total · 2,281 in this make and model · 4,027 as pilot in command · 123 in the last 90 days · 36 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GRR