# NTSB ERA26LA191: Beech F33A, N85WM, Sanford, NC, April 24, 2026 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 24, 2026, 12:15 local (16:15 UTC) - Place: Sanford, NC - Coordinates: 35.5805, -79.102298 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.5805&lon=-79.1023&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Electrical system malf/failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 15, 2026 - 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): 202902 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA191 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202902/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202902 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA191 ## Probable cause A loss of electrical power as a result of broken stator leads within the alternator, which resulted in the pilot’s inability to extend the airplane’s landing gear. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Electrical power system: alternator-generator drive sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022410): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech F33A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022410/cases.md?model=1151425), [All aircraft, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022410/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Electrical system malf/failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech F33A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332/sequence.md?model=1151425), [All aircraft, 182 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332/sequence.md) - [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); 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) ## Analysis The pilot reported that after practicing instrument approaches with the flight instructor, they were returning to the airport. While in the traffic pattern, the pilot lowered the flaps with no problems noted, but as he attempted to lower the landing gear, the airplane lost electrical power. The pilot performed a low pass of the airport and reported that individuals on the ground confirmed that the landing gear were down, but they were unsure if they were in the locked position. The pilot then attempted to lower the landing gear with the hand crank, and he managed to make about 20 total turns (of about 50 normally needed to fully extend the landing gear) before he was unable to turn the crank any further. During the subsequent landing, the nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. Postaccident examination flight data recovered from avionics onboard the airplane revealed that shortly after departing on the accident flight, current parameter indicated a discharge from the battery for the remainder of the flight and electrical bus voltage began to slowly decrease. A postaccident examination and functional test of the alternator revealed that the case halves of the alternator had vibrated apart and that the alternator had was not functioning. It was disassembled and the stator leads were found to be broken at the rectifier attachment point. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N85WM](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N85WM), registered now, S/N CE-943, built 1981 (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-943 - Year built: 1981 - Airframe hours: 5776.4 - Engines: Continental Aerospace Technologies IO-520-BB 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 16, 2025, 11.6 hours before - Airport: TTA, Raleigh Exec Jetport At Sanford-Lee County, runway 21, 6,501 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 4, 2025; seat: left; restraint: none; flight hours: 289.28 total, 115.3 in this make and model, 179.88 as pilot in command, 10.8 in the last 90 days, 2.6 in the last 30 days - Flight instructor; age 66; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed; last flight review November 30, 2025; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 4,078.3 total, 32.6 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 50° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: TTA - METAR: METAR KTTA 261615Z AUTO 05007KT 10SM OVC015 15/13 A3000 RMK AO2 T01500127 ## 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 20260424010719A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260424010719A), Apr 24, 2026: Beech F33A, Sanford, NC, Substantial damage. The PIC was training IFR appoaches with CFI onboard. During their final IFR approach into ktta the PIC began the gear extension to land. Once he initiated the… ## Docket (10 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 15, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202902. 11.1 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20497650&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA191%20Pilot%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 57 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20496980&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA191%20Pilot%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Flight instructor statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20497155&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA191%20CFI%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 3.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20497082&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA191%20Last%20Annual%20Inspection_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photos (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20497092&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA191%20Photo%20Array_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record - alternator and battery exam (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 94 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20497401&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA191%20Mechanic%20Email%20MFR_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Alternator examination and test results (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 745 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20497217&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA191%20Alternator%20Test_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident flight data (item 8, PDF, 2 pages, 159 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20497535&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA191%20Data%20MFR-Rel.pdf - Flight data (tabular) (item 9, CSV, 2.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20497545&FileExtension=csv&FileName=log_20260424_100126_KTTA%20(accident%20flight)-Rel.csv - Evidence control form (item 10, PDF, 1 page, 139 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20497102&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA191%20Evidence-Control-Form-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.