# NTSB ERA24LA307: Beech 95-B55, N9308Q, Greenville, NC, July 1, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 1, 2024, 20:31 UTC - Place: Greenville, NC · On airport - Coordinates: 35.631947, -77.384789 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6319&lon=-77.3848&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - 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): 194720 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA307 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194720/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194720 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA307 ## Probable cause A landing with the nose gear retracted as a result of an intermittent landing gear relay. ## 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 · Malfunction (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) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Landing: 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: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot report that after a normal takeoff and landing gear retraction, he began to level the airplane at 4,500 ft above ground level when the left engine began to run rough. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger then reduced power on the left engine until the roughness abated and agreed that they should return to the departure airport. While on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot placed the landing gear handle in the down position, but the landing gear down indication light did not illuminate. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger attempted to troubleshoot the issue before the pilot ultimately decided to attempt a manual extension of the landing gear. The pilot rated passenger then continued manual extension and was able to turn the crank approximately 50 times before it would no longer turn, and he believed it was “against the stops.” The pilot still did not observe an indication that the landing gear were extended, but decided that they needed to land as a result of the difficulty in maintaining altitude and airspeed. After touchdown on the main landing gear the nose of the airplane settled onto the runway and the airplane skidded to a stop. A bulkhead in airplane’s fuselage structure was substantially damaged during the landing. Following the accident, maintenance personnel examined the airplane and reported that their initial attempts to extend the landing gear normally were unsuccessful. After they “tapped the [landing gear] relay with a hammer” the landing gear extended and retracted normally during several test attempts. The landing gear were also successfully extended manually after the manual extension crank was turned about 10 additional times beyond where it was found following the accident. Additionally, examination of the left engine identified two oil-fouled spark plugs as likely contributors to the engine roughness reported during the accident flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9308Q](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9308Q), registered now, S/N TC-1411, built 1971 (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-1411 - Year built: 1971 - Airframe hours: 2882.7 - Engines: Continental Aerospace Technologies IO-520-E 300 horsepower reciprocating; Continental Aerospace Technologies IO-520-E 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 22, 2024, 1.7 hours before - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: PGV, Pitt-Greenville, runway 02, 7,175 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 72; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 28, 2022; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 5,426 total, 12 in this make and model, 4,264 as pilot in command, 22 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days - Pilot-rated passenger; age 47; injuries: none; seat: right; restraint: lap only ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,000 ft - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: PGV - METAR: METAR KPGV 012025Z AUTO 02008KT 10SM SCT042 27/15 A3005 RMK AO2= ## 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 20240701008629A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240701008629A), Jul 1, 2024: Beech 95-B55 (T42A), Greenville, NC, Minor damage. On 07/01/2024 at approximatley 2000Z a Beech B55 landed at the Pitt Greenville Airport, NC (kpgv) and the nose gear collapsed. PIC stated left engine started… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 22, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194720. 24.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 6.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17584284&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA24LA307%20Pilot%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 3.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17573489&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Statement%20_Brooks%20N9308Q_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Passenger statement (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 69 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17573634&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA24LA307%20Pax%20Interview-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records (item 4, PDF, 5 pages, 13.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17573190&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Maintenance%20Documentation%20for%20N9308Q_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Post-accident mechanic interview (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 69 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17691359&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA24LA307%20Mechanic%20MFR-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 6, PDF, 3 pages, 715 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17573644&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA24LA307%20Photo%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.