# NTSB ERA21LA319: Beech F33A, N4114S, Oxford, CT, August 7, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: August 7, 2021, 10:50 local (14:50 UTC)
- Place: Oxford, CT
- Coordinates: 41.478281, -73.135182 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.4783&lon=-73.1352&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: 2 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): 103669
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA21LA319
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103669/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103669
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA319

## Probable cause

The inadvertent operation of the landing handle during the landing roll, which resulted in a nose gear retraction and subsequent collision with the runway.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Action: incorrect action sequence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041020): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot; cases with it: [Beech F33A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041020/cases.md?model=1151425), [All aircraft, 77 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041020/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 collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech F33A, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=1151425), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Beech F33A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=1151425), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, as he was retracting the flaps, he inadvertently retracted the landing gear. He said that the nose of the airplane settled on to the runway and skidded to a stop, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. A functional test of the “landing gear safety switch” did not reveal any anomalies. The nose landing gear assembly was damaged, which prevented a “gear retraction” check.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4114S](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4114S), registered now, S/N CE-434 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH F33A
- Registry model: [Beech F33A](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-f33a) (registry code 1151425) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: CE-434
- Year built: 1973
- Airframe hours: 4509
- Engines: Continental IO-550B 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, April 9, 2021, 54 hours before
- Departed: HPN, White Plains, NY
- Destination: OXC, Oxford, CT
- Airport: OXC, Waterbury, runway 18, 5,800 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 75; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, unknown; last flight review November 5, 2020; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 725 total, 285 in this make and model, 609 as pilot in command, 31 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observed at: KOXC
- METAR: METAR KOXC 071451Z 23005KT 10SM OVC100 25/21 A3011 RMK AO2 SLP204 T02500211 54000

## 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 20210807013479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210807013479A), Aug 7, 2021: Beech F33A, Oxford, CT, Substantial damage. On Saturday August 7, 2021 an accident/incident report was generated for civil aircraft, registration N4114S, a Beech F33A, serial number CE-434. The report…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 4, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103669. 3.0 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12853044&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Report%20Filed_20210819143741_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum of record gear examination (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 159 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12859938&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20Of%20Record%20landing%20gear%20retraction%20examintion%20LA319-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum of record safety switch examination (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 161 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12862323&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20Of%20Record%20landing%20gear%20safety%20switch%20LA319-Rel.pdf
- Investigative photos (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 277 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13796052&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20LA319-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.