# NTSB ERA24LA214: Beech 95B55, N7371R, St. Augustine, FL, April 1, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 1, 2024, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC) - Place: St. Augustine, FL · In grass off right side of runway 31 - Coordinates: 29.95925, -81.339729 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9593&lon=-81.3397&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 3, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 194230 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA214 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194230/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194230 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA214 ## Probable cause The incomplete extension of the landing gear into the down-and-locked position for reasons that could not be determined. . ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) - [Electrical power system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022400): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 48 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022400/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot and the pilot-rated passenger, who was also a mechanic, were conducting a post-maintenance flight test after an extensive annual inspection of the airplane. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane lost complete electrical power. The pilot turned back toward the airport, while the pilot-rated passenger contacted the control tower with his mobile phone and declared an emergency. The pilot said that he, with some help from the pilot-rated passenger, attempted to manually lower the landing gear with the emergency gear extension handle; however, he may not have been able to get the landing gear fully extended to the down and locked position. When the airplane touched down on the runway, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane went off the right side of the runway and collided with a runway sign, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. A postaccident examination of the airplane’s electrical system revealed no mechanical issues and the reason for the loss of electrical power could not be determined from the available information. A functional test of the landing gear system could not be performed due to damage sustained during the accident. ## Factual narrative On April 1, 2024, about 1200 eastern daylight time, a Beech 95B55 airplane, N7371R, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near St. Augustine, Florida. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 test flight. According to the pilot, he and the pilot-rated passenger, who was also a mechanic, departed Northeast Florida Regional Airport (SGJ), St. Augustine, Florida, on a post-maintenance test flight after the airplane had undergone an extensive annual inspection. About 500 ft above ground level the pilot initiated a turn toward the west to go to an area where he could proceed with the engine break-in process. At that time, the airplane lost complete electrical power. The pilot decided to return to SGJ and land. Because the airplane had lost radio communication, the passenger contacted the control tower using his mobile phone and declared an emergency. The pilot and the pilot-rated passenger then attempted to manually lower the landing gear using the emergency landing gear extension handle. Both said they turned the handle until it would not turn any further; however, the pilot said that he may not have been able to turn the handle enough to fully extend the landing gear to the down-and-locked position. The pilot-rated passenger asked the control tower if the landing gear looked extended, and the tower responded that they could see three landing gear down but could not tell if they were fully extended. When the airplane touched down, the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane slid off the right side of the runway and collided with a runway sign, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. Examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector could not determine the reason for the electrical failure. Attempts to conduct a functional test of the landing gear were unsuccessful due to impact damage. ## Aircraft - Registration: N7371R (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: BEECH 95B55 (B) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TC-1722 - Year built: 1974 - Airframe hours: 4391 - Engines: Continental IO-470-L 260 horsepower reciprocating; Continental IO-470-L 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Flight test, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 1, 2024 - Airport: SGJ, Northeast Florida Regional Airport, runway 31, 8,001 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 73; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 19, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 6,915 total, 3,992 in this make and model, 6,725 as pilot in command, 25 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days - Other flight crew; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 4-point ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: SGJ - METAR: SPECI KSGJ 011618Z 18009KT 10SM SCT037 26/16 A3012 RMK AO2 ACFT MSHP PNO $= ## 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 20240401010059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240401010059A), Apr 1, 2024: Beech 95-B55 (T42A), Saint Augustine, FL, Substantial damage. Shortly after departure the right engine generator fail light came on. Soon after the aircraft lost all electrical power. The landing gear was cranked down by… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 3, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194230. 7.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 6.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19829591&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20(Signed)_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� pilot interview (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19880032&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Interview%20with%20Pilot-Rel.pdf - Pilot-rated passenger statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 29 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19870676&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20rated%20passenger%20statement-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� interview with FAA inspector (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19879010&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MoR%20FAA%20Interview-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 5, PDF, 6 pages, 807 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19830384&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs-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.