# NTSB ERA17LA134: Beech 95B55, N62RF, Islip, NY, March 22, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 21, 2017, 20:56 local (Mar 22, 2017, 00:56 UTC) - Place: Islip, NY · KISP - Runway 24 - Coordinates: 40.795276, -73.10028 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7953&lon=-73.1003&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: 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: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA / FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 94901 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA17LA134 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/94901/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94901 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA134 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to lower the landing gear before touchdown, which resulted in the gear-up landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [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) - [Performance/control parameters: configuration](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062017): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062017/cases.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 80 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062017/cases.md) - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: 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) - [Landing: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was planning to perform practice night landings at the airport, and after initially departing, was returning to the airport after conducting some practice instrument maneuvers. He stated that once he was on final approach to the runway, he prepared for landing using his “written checklist" and that “[e]verything with the approach and completed checklist appeared normal." He then did a check of the gas, undercarriage, mixture, props, and flaps several times. He stated that the airplane touched down normally on the runway, then dropped and skidded to a stop. Following the accident, the airplane was observed on its belly on the runway; the landing gear were not extended. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the forward wing spar. No evidence of damage was noted to the landing gear system linkages and retraction rods, which would have been evident if all three landing gear had collapsed. Operational checks of the landing gear system revealed that the landing gear system was functional. During a follow-up interview, the pilot stated that he landed right on the runway centerline but that “[u]nfortunately, the gear was not under the airplane” and that it was “[m]y fault.” Given this information, the pilot’s failure to lower the landing gear before touchdown resulted in the gear-up landing. ## Factual narrative On March 21, 2017, about 2056 eastern daylight time, a Beech 95-B55 airplane, N62RF, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident in Islip, New York. The pilot was uninjured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, he decided to perform three night landings at Long Island Mac Arthur Airport (ISP), Islip, New York, each to a full stop with a taxi back, to maintain currency. To allow time for his night vision to adjust and be sure the airplane was properly configured, he contacted air traffic control (ATC) for clearance to depart the traffic pattern with an assigned transponder squawk code and requested direct to the Calverton VOR/DME (CCC). He then departed ISP, flew the published hold at CCC, communicated with ATC when inbound, and was vectored to the final approach course for runway 24 at ISP. As a backup, he had also loaded the instrument landing system 24 approach into his GPS to aid in situational awareness. He stated that once on final, he prepared for landing using his “written checklist," and “[e]verything with the approach and completed checklist appeared normal." He then did his "GUMPFs" check (of the gas, undercarriage, mixture, props, and flaps) several times. He stated that the airplane touched down normally on the runway, then dropped and skidded to a stop. Following the accident, the airplane was observed on the runway on its belly with no landing gear extended. The airplane was recovered from the runway by lifting it and manually extending the landing gear. Examination of the airplane revealed that underside of the fuselage displayed extensive areas of ground down, scraped, and torn sheet metal. The examination also revealed substantial damage to the forward spar carry through and the left side keel beam. The pitot tube and left engine exhaust tips, both propellers, the nose landing gear door, the left and right main landing gear doors, and the left and right wing flaps were also damaged. No evidence of damage to the landing gear system linkages and retraction rods was noted. Operational checks of the landing gear system were performed using the airplane’s electrical power and the manual gear extension system. During the operational checks, the landing gear were able to retract electrically, during which the indicator lights went from green to an in-transit indication. Due to damage, the landing gear could not be extended with the gear motor but were able to extend manually. All indications operated properly. The landing gear horn sounded when required, and the indicator lights indicated green when the landing gear were down and locked. During a postaccident interview, the pilot stated that he thought he had “three green lights which indicated that his landing gear was down and locked.” He stated that, on September 24, 2016, a similar incident involving the landing gear had occurred at a different airport, during which he conducted aflyby of the tower to confirm his gear were down; after touchdown and rollout, the indicator lights indicated the gear were down and locked. According to a mechanic at the pilot’s maintenance provider, regarding the previous incident, the pilot stated to him that he had flown the airplane to Nantucket Memorial Airport (ACK), Nantucket, Massachusetts, and did not get the three green landing gear light indicators, so he did a flyby of the tower; they confirmed his wheels were down, so he landed. He did not have the airplane checked and flew back to ISP. The mechanic asked him if he had the navigation lights on, and the pilot said yes. The mechanic then explained that with the navigation lights on, the landing gear indicator lights would dim. Maintenance personnel jacked the airplane up, cycled the landing gear, and checked the indicators; all systems functioned correctly. During a subsequent interview regarding the accident flight, the pilot advised that the winds were 230° at 5 knots, so there was no crosswind, and that he landed right on the runway centerline. He further stated that, “[u]nfortunately, the gear was not under the airplane” and that it was “[m]y fault.” ## Aircraft - Registration: [N62RF](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N62RF-2018-05-01), registration cancelled 2018-05-01, S/N TC-1927 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH 95B55 - Registry model: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A)](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-95-b55-t42a) (registry code 1152706) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TC-1927 - Year built: 1976 - Airframe hours: 4521.7 - Engines: Continental IO-470-L21 260 horsepower reciprocating; Continental IO-470-L21B 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 9, 2016 - Departed: ISP, Islip, NY - Destination: ISP, Islip, NY - Airport: ISP, Long Island Mac Arthur, runway 06/24, 7,006 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display, Onboard weather ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 3, 2016; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 868 total, 28 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 230° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 29.86 inHg - Observed at: KISP ## 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 20170321006999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170321006999A), Mar 21, 2017: Beech 95-B55 (T42A), Ronkonkoma, NY, Substantial damage. 3/21/2017: It was reported that aircraft N62RF, Beechcraft baron 95-B55, was operating within isp traffic pattern. During landing it was suspected that the… ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 18, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94901. 12.2 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 729 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12129079&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Witness statements and interview summaries (item 2, PDF, 5 pages, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12128875&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Witness%20Statements%20and%20Interview%20Summaries_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Maintenance provider damage assessment (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 77 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12128753&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Damage%20Assessment_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Excerpt from Beechcraft baron POH - landing gear system (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12128885&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Excerpt%20from%20Beechcraft%20Baron%20POH%20-%20Landing%20Gear%20System-Rel.pdf - Excerpt from Beechcraft baron maintenance manual - landing gear (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 747 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12129089&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Excerpt%20from%20Beechcraft%20Baron%20Maintenance%20Manual%20-%20Landing%20Gear-Rel.pdf - Kisp - airport diagram (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 139 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12128577&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=KISP%20-%20Airport%20Diagram-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 7, PDF, 20 pages, 8.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12132159&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-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. --- 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.