FTW04LA090

NTSB accident investigation · Beech BE-200 · Springdale, AR · March 5, 2004

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
March 4, 2004, 20:01 local (Mar 5, 2004, 02:01 UTC)
Place
Springdale, AR
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N30SEBeech BE-200
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 1, 2004
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20040304010939A
Case key
58860

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The failure of the right main landing gear actuator clevis bolt for undetermined reasons.

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.

Gear collapsedLanding - roll
Landing gear,normal retraction/extension assembly - disconnected
Miscellaneous,bolt/nut/fastener/clamp/spring - not engaged
On ground/water collision with objectLanding - roll
Object - runway light

Analysis

During the landing roll, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane veered off to the right side the runway, before colliding with multiple taxiway and runway lights. The 1,400-hour pilot reported that while on approach, the nose wheel position indication light was not illuminated when the landing gear position indication lights were tested. After conducting a low approach to the runway, the tower advised the pilot that all wheels appeared to be down. Subsequently, when the nose wheel landing gear touched down on the runway, the right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing struck the ground. Inspection of the airplane revealed the clevis bolt was separated from the actuator rod on the right main landing gear assembly .

Factual narrative

On March 4, 2004, at 2001 central standard time, a Beech BE-200 twin-engine airplane, N30SE, was substantially damaged when the right main landing gear collapsed during the landing roll at the Springdale Municipal Airport (ASG), near Springdale, Arkansas. The commercial pilot and his passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by A & M Holdings LLC, of Stuttgart, Arkansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 business flight. The cross-country flight originated from the Stuttgart Municipal Airport (SGT), near Stuttgart, Arkansas, approximately 1920, destined for ASG.

The 1,400-hour pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) that after being cleared for the approach to runway 18 (5,302-feet wide by 75-feet wide asphalt runway), he extended the landing gear and checked the landing gear position indication lights for agreement. However, the nose wheel position indication light was not illuminated.

The pilot contacted the ASG Air Traffic Control Tower and notified the controller of the problem. He performed a low approach to the runway, and the controller advised the pilot that all three wheels "appeared to be down." The pilot stated that while on downwind for the runway, he briefed his passenger about the situation. The pilot further stated that he used the emergency landing gear manual extension procedure to lower the wheels, but the nose wheel position indication light still did not illuminate.

During final approach, the pilot "put the airplane in a nose high attitude." Upon landing, he "kept the nose wheel off as long he could." Subsequently, when the nose wheel landing gear touched down on the runway, the right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing struck the ground. The airplane veered off to the right side the runway, colliding with multiple taxiway and runway lights.

An examination of the airplane by an FAA certified airframe and powerplant mechanic revealed that the fuselage aft and below the right side co-pilot's window was damaged by impact with the taxiway lights. The inspection also revealed the clevis bolt was separated from the actuator rod on the right main landing gear assembly .

A review of the airplane logbooks revealed the airplane completed its most recent phase three and phase four maintenance inspections on October 22, 2003. The logbook entry for these inspections stated that the "Aviadesign hydraulic landing gear 1,000-hour or 12-month inspection complied with."

Aircraft

Registration
N30SE
Reported as
Beech BE-200
Category
Airplane
Serial number
BB-313
Airframe hours
8,900
Engine
Pratt & Whitney PT6-41, 850 horsepower, turbo prop
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Business · Part 91
Registered owner
A & M Holdings
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Continuous airworthiness · October 22, 2003 · 95 hours before
Departed
SGT · Stuttgart Muni, AR
Destination
ASG
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
ASG · Springdale Municipal Airport, runway 18, 5,302 × 75 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

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
36
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Last flight review
February 1, 2003
Seat
Left
Flight hours
1,400 total · 900 in this make and model · 1,400 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
180° at 8 knots
Visibility
7 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
9,000 ft overcast
Temperature
61 °F, dew point 55 °F
Altimeter
29.55 inHg
Observed at
ASG

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 N30SE · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.