# NTSB GAA18CA187: Beech 99, N31TN, King Salmon, AK, March 29, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 29, 2018, 13:20 local (21:20 UTC) - Place: King Salmon, AK - Coordinates: 58.679721, -156.656112 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=58.6797&lon=-156.6561&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 8 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 5, 2018 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 96959 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA18CA187 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/96959/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96959 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA187 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate approach path and runway centerline during the initial landing, which resulted in a hard landing to the left of the runway and damage to the landing gear and wing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 99, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=1154002), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: heading/course](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062047): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 99, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062047/cases.md?model=1154002), [All aircraft, 82 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062047/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 99, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1154002), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: main landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Damaged/degraded; cases with it: [Beech 99, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/cases.md?model=1154002), [All aircraft, 241 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech 99, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=1154002), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Beech 99, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=1154002), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Beech 99, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=1154002), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, after exiting instrument meteorological conditions during a circling approach, he was "a little above" the normal glidepath; as the airplane crossed the approach end of the runway, the airplane began to sink rapidly and drift to the left. He added power to initiate a go-around, but the airplane continued to sink and landed with the left main landing gear off the left side of the runway. As the airplane became airborne again, he attempted to retract the landing gear, "but the handle was locked in place." He noticed that the left and right main landing gear extension lights were illuminated, but the nose landing gear light was not. The pilot noticed a positive rate of climb and decided to fly to an alternate airport. The pilot reported that, while en route to the alternate airport, a passenger reported that they smelled smoke, so he turned off electrical equipment. A pilot-rated passenger assisted with circuit breaker troubleshooting before turning on the battery again for communications. He instructed the pilot-rated passenger to visually examine the landing gear; the passenger reported that the left main landing gear was extended without damage and the right main landing gear was "bent back," with damage to the right flap with fuel leaking from the wing. After contacting the alternate airport's tower, the pilot reported that he declared an emergency and provided a safety brief to the passengers. He added that, at the alternate airport, he performed an instrument landing system approach, and over the approach end of the runway, he reduced power, feathered the propellers, and moved both fuel levers to fuel cutoff. During landing, the right main landing gear collapsed, the right wing settled onto the runway, and the airplane began to pull to the right. The pilot added left rudder to maintain the runway centerline and the airplane came to rest on the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that, after exiting instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) during a circling approach, he was "a little above" normal glidepath and as the airplane crossed the approach end of the runway, the airplane began to sink rapidly and drift to the left. He added power to initiate a go around, but the airplane continued to sink, and landed with the left main landing gear off the left side of the runway. As the airplane became airborne again, he attempted to retract the landing gear, "but the handle was locked in place". He noticed that the left and right main landing gear extension lights were illuminated, but the nose landing gear light was not. The pilot noticed a positive rate of climb and decided to fly to an alternate airport. The pilot reported that, while en route to the alternate airport, a passenger reported that they smelled smoke, so he turned off electrical equipment. He utilized a pilot-rated passenger to assist with circuit breaker troubleshooting before turning on the battery again for communications. He instructed the pilot-rated passenger to visually examine the landing gear, who reported that the left main landing gear was extended without damage and the right main landing gear was "bent back", with damage to the right flap with fuel leaking from the wing. After contacting the alternate airport's tower, the pilot reported that he declared an emergency and provided a safety brief to the passengers. He added that, at the alternate airport, he performed an instrument landing system (ILS) approach and over the approach end of the runway, he reduced power, feathered the propellers, and moved both fuel levers to fuel cutoff. During landing, the right main landing gear collapsed, the right wing settled onto the runway, and the airplane began to pull to the right. The pilot added left rudder to maintain the runway centerline and the airplane came to rest on the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N31TN](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N31TN), registered now, S/N U49, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH 99 (UNDESIGNAT) - Registry model: [Beech 99](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-99) (registry code 1154002) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PT6A series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (registry code 52032, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: U49 - Year built: 1969 - Airframe hours: 39673.3 - Engines: P&W PT6A-20 550 horsepower turbo prop; P&W PT6A-20 550 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Lake Clark Air Inc - Registered owner: Lake Clark Air Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, March 21, 2018 - Departed: DLG, DILLINGHAM, AK - Destination: PNP, PILOT POINT, AK - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: AKN, King Salmon, runway 12, 8,901 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 31; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 29, 2017; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 4,056 total, 103 in this make and model, 3,918 as pilot in command, 230 in the last 90 days, 69 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 6 knots - Lowest ceiling: 200 ft overcast - Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 30.52 inHg - Icing: Unknown - Observed at: PAII, 38 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 20180329010449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180329010449A), Mar 29, 2018: Beech 99, Pilot Point, AK, Substantial damage. Flight departed from dillingham, Alaska and approached runway 07 at Pilot Point, Alaska. Pilot entered downwind to circling approach to runway 25. As aircraft… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 9, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96959. 3.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40463042&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pilot's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 67 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40463043&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (item 3, .PDF, 1 photo, 139 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40463044&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo-Master.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.