- Date
- June 23, 2002, 12:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Farmington, NM
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8245HBeech BE-58
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20020623012709A
- Case key
- 55046
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of the nose landing gear plunger assembly due to fatigue.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During the takeoff/initial climb, when the main landing gear retracted a "pop-bang was heard." The two green main landing gear indicator lights and the red in-transit indicator light remained illuminated. The pilot's recycled the landing gear; however, they could not get a down and locked indication for the nose landing gear. During a low approach over the runway, company personnel observed that the nose landing gear was not locked in the down position and was at a 45 degree angle. Subsequently, the nose landing gear collapsed during the landing roll. The nose landing gear plunger assembly, part number 35-825094-4, had accumulated 10,872.5 hours. Stereoscopic and metallurgical examination of the component revealed a fatigue fracture.
Factual narrative
On June 23, 2002, at 1215 mountain daylight time, a Beech BE-58, twin-engine airplane, N8245H, was substantially damaged following the collapse of the nose landing gear during the landing roll at the Four Corners Regional Airport (FMN), near Farmington, New Mexico. The airplane was owned and operated by San Juan Pilot Training, Inc., dba Mesa Airlines Pilot Development, at Farmington, New Mexico, under Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight instructor and the private pilot/multiengine student were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight, for which a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed. The local flight departed Farmington at 1100.
On the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) the flight instructor reported that when the main landing gear retracted a "pop-bang was heard." The two green main landing gear indicator lights and the red in-transit indicator light remained illuminated. The pilot's recycled the landing gear; however, they could not get a down and locked indication for the nose landing gear.
The pilots established radio communication with the company dispatcher who notified the chief pilot. During a low approach over the active runway, the chief pilot and mechanics observed the nose landing gear was not locked in the down position and was at a 45 degree angle. Subsequently, the nose landing gear collapsed during the landing roll on runway 23 at FMN.
The FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, reported the failure of the plunger assembly for the nose landing gear. Substantial damage was found at the cabin bulkhead.
The operator reported that the nose landing gear plunger assembly, part number 35-825094-4, had accumulated 10,872.5 hours. The nose landing gear plunger assembly was forwarded to the NTSB for examination.
The NTSB Investigator-in-Charge (IIC) examined the nose landing gear plunger assembly utilizing the stereoscopic microscope. The nose landing gear plunger assembly was forwarded to Raytheon Aircraft Company, Wichita, Kansas, for metallurgical examination. Metallurgical examinations revealed a fatigue fracture.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8245H
- Reported as
- Beech BE-58
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- TH-1635
- Airframe hours
- 10,872.5
- Engine
- Continental IO-550-C, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- San Juan Pilot Training, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · June 21, 2002 · 4.6 hours before
- Departed
- FMN · Farmington, NM
- Destination
- FMN · Farmington, NM
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- FMN · Four Corners Regional, runway 23, 6,500 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 34
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- August 17, 2001
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,945 total · 150 in this make and model · 2,855 as pilot in command · 270 in the last 90 days · 105 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- April 22, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 296 total · 19 in this make and model · 180 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.19 inHg
- Observed at
- FMN
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 30, 2004, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8245H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.