# NTSB ERA21LA093: Beech 95-B55 (T42A), N916MT, Westfield, MA, December 29, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: December 29, 2020, 11:50 local (16:50 UTC) - Place: Westfield, MA - Coordinates: 42.158288, -72.716048 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.1583&lon=-72.7160&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 102476 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA21LA093 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102476/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102476 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA093 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing and his failure to confirm that the landing gear was extended before landing. ## 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 · Not used/operated (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) - [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: lateral/bank control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 390 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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); 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: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the twin-engine airplane was landing in gusty wind conditions and thought that he had extended the landing gear. As he began to flare, he felt a bump and attributed it to the wind. The pilot then pitched the nose of the airplane up and quickly put his hand on the landing gear lever to confirm that the landing gear was down. The airplane began to roll to the right, so he returned his hand to the throttles to reduce power on the right engine, and the airplane impacted the ground on the left wing and nose. The belly of the airplane then hit the ground and the airplane slid upright before coming to a stop, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. Airport surveillance video captured the airplane as it began to flare over the runway with the landing gear retracted. The airplane then pitched up and the landing gear was observed extending while the airplane was just a few feet above the runway. The left-wing then dropped and impacted the ground followed by the nose and fuselage. The pilot said, “By all accounts, I did not lower the landing gear.” However, he did not recall extending the gear after the airplane pitched up during the flare. He said he may have partially extended the gear on downwind because he never confirmed that the “green” gear-down lights were illuminated. The pilot said he normally announces the pre-landing checklist out loud but did not do it on this flight. Due to the gusty wind conditions, he landed with partial flaps, higher airspeed, and power setting. As a result, this configuration did not trigger the landing gear warning horn. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N916MT](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N916MT), registered now, S/N TC-1623, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH 95-B55 (T42A) - Registry model: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A)](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-95-b55-t42a) (registry code 1152706) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental I0-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (registry code 17027, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TC-1623 - Year built: 1973 - Airframe hours: 4145.6 - Engines: CONT MOTOR I0-470L21 260 horsepower reciprocating; CONT MOTOR I0-470L24 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 19, 2020 - Departed: VSF, Springfield, VT - Destination: Same as departure - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: BAF, Westfield-Barnes Rgnl, runway 33, 5,000 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: basicmed, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 1, 2020; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,564.7 total, 168.2 in this make and model, 2,490 as pilot in command, 21.7 in the last 90 days, 7.3 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 19 knots, gusting 29 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 7 °F - Altimeter: 30.36 inHg - Observed at: KBAF - METAR: KBAF 291953Z 30019G29KT 10SM BKN070 00/M14 A3036 RMK AO2 PK WND 32038/1905 SLP288 T00001144 ## 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 20201229017419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201229017419A), Dec 29, 2020: Beech 95-B55 (T42A), Westfield, MA, Substantial damage. N916MT; on approach to baf, pilot received ATIS "information whiskey", reporting runway 33 in use, winds 330 at 18 gusting to 30. Pilot entered downwind for… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 8, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102476. 43.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11847988&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - NTSB summary of emails (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 149 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11848429&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Summary%20of%20Email%20Pilot-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 2 photos, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11848884&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf - Video file - barnes airport surveillance (item 4, AVI, 22.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11848577&FileExtension=avi&FileName=Rwy%2033%20-%202020-12-29%20Baron%20N916MT-Rel.avi - Video file- barnes airport surveillance 2 (item 5, AVI, 15.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12448028&FileExtension=avi&FileName=33-2%20Rwy%20Intersection%202020-12-29%20Baron%20N916MT-Rel.avi 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.