# NTSB FTW98LA375: Beech D95A, N924JL, Albuquerque, NM, August 7, 1998

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 6, 1998, 18:30 local (Aug 7, 1998, 00:30 UTC)
- Place: Albuquerque, NM
- Coordinates: 35.059616, -106.620185 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0596&lon=-106.6202&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 28, 2000
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 43778
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW98LA375
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/43778/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA375

## Probable cause

The pilot's inadvertent raising of the landing gear during landing rollout

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Gear retraction on ground, landing - roll
  - gear retraction - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll
  - terrain condition - runway

## Analysis

The pilot reported that he was landing on runway 22, and during landing roll, the airplane pitched forward and to the right.  According to the pilot's statement in the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report; 'On rollout, as aircraft started  slowing down, I noticed the nose start to drop and the next thing I realized was the nose continued down, and then we were sliding along the runway with all the gear collapsed.'  He said that the airplane exited the runway to the right and came to rest facing the opposite direction.  Post-accident examination of the landing gear system revealed no mechanical anomalies which would have precluded normal operation.  The right main inner gear door exhibited crushing and inward deformation.  A representative from Beechcraft stated that when the landing gear is down and locked, the inner gear doors are up and locked (flush with the bottom of the airplane).  He further stated that the landing gear handle and the flap handle in this airplane are reverse from the majority of general aviation aircraft. The pilot reported that he purchased the airplane on July 30, 1998, 7 days before the accident.  He further indicated in the NTSB Report that he had a total of 15 hours of flight experience in the make & model aircraft.

## Factual narrative

On August 6, 1998, approximately 1830 mountain daylight time, a Beech D95A Travel Air, N924JL, was substantially damaged following the collapse of the landing gear during landing rollout at Double Eagle II Airport, Albuquerque, New Mexico.  The airline transport rated pilot and his passenger were not injured.  The airplane was being operated by the pilot under Title 14 CFR Part 91.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country personal flight which originated approximately 45 minutes before the accident.  No flight plan had been filed.

The pilot reported that he was landing on runway 22, and during the landing roll, the airplane pitched forward and to the right.  He said that the airplane exited the runway to the right and came to rest facing the opposite direction.

Postaccident examination of the landing gear system, by an FAA airworthiness inspector, revealed no mechanical anomalies which would have precluded normal operation.  He further observed that the right main inner gear door exhibited crushing and inward deformation.  A representative from Beechcraft (the airplane's manufacturer) stated that when the landing gear is down and locked, the inner gear doors are up and locked (flush with the bottom of the airplane).  He further stated that the landing gear handle is on the right side of the power control quadrant and the flap handle is on the left side of the power control quadrant.  The representative further stated that the majority of general aviation aircraft have their landing gear handle on the left side of the power control quadrant and the flap handle on the right side of the power control quadrant.

The pilot reported that he purchased the airplane on July 30, 1998, 7 days before the accident.  He further indicated on his NTSB's Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report that he had a total of 15 hours of flight experience in N924JL.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N924JL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N924JL-2005-03-11), registration cancelled 2005-03-11, S/N TD-670, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Beech D95A
- Registry model: [Beech D95A](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-d95a) (registry code 1153408) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: TD-670
- Airframe hours: 4100
- Engines: Lycoming IO-360-B1B 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Jeff B. Taylor
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 25, 1998, 20 hours before
- Departed: Q58, SANTA ROSA, NM
- Destination: AEG
- Airport: AEG, Double Eagle II, runway 22, 7,398 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 64; airline transport, commercial, military, flight engineer; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 19,000 total, 15 in this make and model, 14,353 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: variable at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: ABQ, 11 nm away

## 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 19980806028699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980806028699A), Aug 6, 1998: Beech D95A, Albuquerque, NM, Substantial damage. (There were no remarks indicated prior to .4 entry) (from .4) the pilot reported that he was landing on runway 22, and during landing roll, the airplane…

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.

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