# NTSB ERA19TA129: Beech E55, N15VK, St. Petersburg, FL, March 13, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Final report - Date: March 13, 2019, 16:17 local (20:17 UTC) - Place: St. Petersburg, FL - Coordinates: 27, -82 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.0000&lon=-82.0000&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 99116 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA19TA129 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99116/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99116 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19TA129 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear, which resulted in a gear-up landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: main landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not used/operated (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech E-55, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/cases.md?model=1152732), [All aircraft, 241 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/cases.md) - [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech E-55, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=1152732), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: gear position and warning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023260): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Inoperative (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech E-55, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023260/cases.md?model=1152732), [All aircraft, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023260/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech E-55, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=1152732), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that he became distracted and did not extend the landing gear before landing at the airport. The airplane slid on the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing's rear spar. Although the airplane was equipped with a gear warning horn, both the pilot and the passenger said the horn did not sound. The gear warning horn had been functionally checked during the last annual inspection and was also tested after the accident with no anomalies noted; thus, the investigation could not determine why the pilot and passenger were unable to hear the horn. ## Factual narrative On March 13, 2019, at 1617 eastern daylight time, a Beech E55, N15VK, sustained substantial damage during a gear-up landing at the Albert Whitted Airport (SPG), St. Petersburg, Florida. The commercial pilot and the passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight that departed Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL) Lakeland, Florida, at 1515. The pilot stated that became distracted and did not extend the landing gear before landing. The airplane slid on the runway resulting in substantial damage to the left wing's rear spar. The propellers and flaps were also damaged. According the airplane's Pilot Operating Handbook (POH), page 6-10, "If either or both throttles are retarded below an engine setting sufficient to sustain flight with the landing gear retracted, a warning horn will sound intermittently." The airplane was equipped with a gear warning horn; however, both the pilot and the passenger said the horn did not sound. The horn was functionally checked during the last annual inspection with no deficiencies noted. The horn was also tested after the accident and it worked as designed. The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and sea, multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. He also held a certified flight instructor certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. The pilot's last Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate was issued on February 11, 2019. He reported a total of 3,706 hours, of which, 1,217 hours were in multi-engine aircraft. Weather reported at SPG at 1653 included wind from 090° at 11 knots, visibility 10 miles, and clear skies. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N15VK](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N15VK-2020-07-07), registration cancelled 2020-07-07, S/N TE-805, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech E55 (UNDESIGNAT) - Registry model: [Beech E-55](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-e-55) (registry code 1152732) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TE-805 - Year built: 1970 - Airframe hours: 3996.6 - Engines: Continental Motors IO-520-C7B 285 horsepower reciprocating; Continental Motors IO-520-C7B 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 1, 2018 - Departed: LAL, Lakeland, FL - Destination: SPG, St. Petersburg, FL - Airport: SPG, Albert Whitted, runway 18, 2,864 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Auto-pilot, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; private, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 18, 2018; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 3,706 total, 590 in this make and model, 3,504 as pilot in command, 26 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: SPG ## 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 20190313001319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190313001319A), Mar 13, 2019: Beech E-55, St Petersburg, FL, Substantial damage. On March 13, 2019, at 1645 EST a 1970 Beech, model E-55, N15VK that is registered to snell aviation, LLC, had a gear-up landing. The pilot did not extend the… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 4, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99116. 2.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 764 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477694&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pilot and Passenger Written Statements (item 2, .PDF, 119 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477695&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20and%20Passenger%20Written%20Statements-Master.PDF - NTSB Summary of Emails - Pilot (item 3, .PDF, 98 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477696&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Summary%20of%20Emails%20-%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Photos (item 4, .PDF, 3 photos, 741 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477697&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-Master.PDF - Pages from Beech E55 Pilot Operating Handbook (item 5, .PDF, 870 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477698&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pages%20from%20Beech%20E55%20Pilot%20Operating%20Handbook-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.