# NTSB ERA13LA129: Beech 58, N458P, Winston-Salem, NC, February 7, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 7, 2013, 11:05 local (16:05 UTC) - Place: Winston-Salem, NC - Coordinates: 36.133609, -80.221946 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1336&lon=-80.2219&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 11, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 86167 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA13LA129 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86167/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86167 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA129 ## Probable cause The failure of the left main landing gear to fully extend due to improper rigging by maintenance personnel during a maintenance check. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 58, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=1152740), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) - [Maintenance: scheduled/routine maintenance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010): Personnel issues › Task performance · Maintenance personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 58, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010/cases.md?model=1152740), [All aircraft, 320 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Aircraft maintenance event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040); cases with it: [Beech 58, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md?model=1152740), [All aircraft, 484 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech 58, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=1152740), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis While performing an instrument landing system approach, the pilot lowered the landing gear and confirmed that it was extended by observing the cockpit gear indication. Immediately after landing, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane veered to the left. After departing the side of the runway, the airplane struck a taxiway sign, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. Examination of the main gear rigging showed that the emergency gear handle was able to rotate one full turn before hitting the internal stops. However, the Beech Aircraft Maintenance Manual states that there should only be 1/8- to 1/4-turn between the gear handle extended position and the internal stop during rigging checks. According to the manual, there are no down-position locks and, therefore, over-center tension is the only down-locking system. Therefore, the improper rigging of the landing gear during a maintenance check did not provide adequate down tension and prevented the landing gear from fully extending. ## Factual narrative On February 7, 2013, about 1105 eastern standard time, a Beech 58, N458P, registered to and operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged when the left main landing gear collapsed while landing at Smith Reynolds Airport (INT), Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the personal flight which was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated from Butler County Regional Airport (HAO), Hamilton, Ohio about 0955. According to the pilot, while performing the Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach to runway 33, he extended the landing gear and confirmed that the three landing gear were extended by observing the "green" indicator light on the instrument panel. Immediately after touchdown, the left main gear collapsed, and the airplane veered to the left. After departing the side of the runway the airplane struck a taxiway sign which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. Federal Aviation Inspectors (FAA) examined the main gear rigging and determined the emergency gear handle was able to rotate one full turn before hitting the internal stops. The Beech Aircraft Maintenance Manual states there should be 1/8 to 1/4 turn between the extended position and the internal stop. According to the Aircraft Maintenance Manual there are no down position locks and over center is the only down locking system. According to FAA records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate, with ratings for single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. The pilot's most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on March 28, 2012. The pilot reported 1,011 total hours of flight experience; of which, 95 of those hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The six-seat, low-wing, retractable tricycle-gear airplane, serial number TH119, was manufactured in 1970. It was powered by two Continental Motors IO-520-C, 285-horsepower engines, equipped with McCauley controllable-pitch propellers. Review of the airplane's logbooks revealed that its most recent annual inspection was completed on July 09, 2012. At the time of the inspection, the airplane had accumulated 5,690 total hours of time in service. The left and right engines accumulated approximately 1,152 and 30 total hours, respectively since new. The airplane had accumulated about 28 hours since the most recent annual inspection. The 1054 recorded weather observation at INT, included wind from 070 degrees at 7 knots, 8 miles visibility, overcast at 1,300 feet, temperature 3 degrees C, dew point minus 1 degree C, and a barometric altimeter setting of 30.30 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N458P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N458P-2018-05-30), registration cancelled 2018-05-30, S/N TH119, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH 58 - Registry model: [Beech 58](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-58) (registry code 1152740) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520-C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-c) (registry code 17232, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TH119 - Airframe hours: 5690 - Engines: CONT MOTOR IO-520-C 285 horsepower reciprocating; CONT MOTOR IO-520-C 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 9, 2012, 28 hours before - Departed: HAO, HAMILTON, OH - Destination: INT, WINSTON SALEM, NC - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: INT, Smith Reynolds Airport, runway 33, 6,655 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 20, 2012; seat: left; flight hours: 1,011 total, 95 in this make and model, 935 as pilot in command, 75 in the last 90 days, 31 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 7 knots - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,300 ft overcast - Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 30.29 inHg - Observed at: INT ## 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 20130207002769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130207002769A), Feb 7, 2013: Beech 58, Winston Salem, NC, Substantial damage. Acft landed rwy 33, left main landing gear collapsed. Aircraft made a sharp turn on twy c, skidded and came to stop txy a. ## Docket (9 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 9, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86167. 9.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 936 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390336&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Pilot's Logbook (item 2, .PDF, 195 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40395770&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Logbook-Redacted.PDF - Maintenance Logbook (item 3, .PDF, 526 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40387855&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Logbook-Redacted.PDF - FAA Field Examination (item 4, .PDF, 13 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40394308&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Field%20Examination-Master.PDF - Witness Statements (item 5, .PDF, 270 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40395772&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements-Redacted.PDF - Maintenance Manual excerpt (item 6, .PDF, 248 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40396423&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Manual%20excerpt-Master.PDF - Photograph #1: Starboard side of airplane (Courtesy of FAA) (item 7, .PDF, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40387856&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20%231%3A%20Starboard%20side%20of%20airplane%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photograph #2: Left wing (Courtesy of FAA) (item 8, .PDF, 3.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40396427&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20%232%3A%20Left%20wing%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photograph #3: Landing gear handle (Courtesy of FAA) (item 9, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389757&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20%233%3A%20Landing%20gear%20handle%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-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.