- Date
- April 27, 1996, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lynchburg, VA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1580WBeech B55
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960427046649A
- Case key
- 28042
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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in an inadvertent ground loop/swerve and landing gear collapse. A related factor was the strong crosswind.
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
The pilot reported that when he completed his preflight inspection of the airplane, he noticed that the right main landing gear strut was flat. A mechanic inflated the strut, and the pilot took off. During the landing roll on runway 21 at the destination airport, when the nosewheel touched the runway, the aircraft veered to the left. The pilot applied full right rudder and brake, but the aircraft exited the runway collapsing the main landing gear. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction and that the ground loop forces caused the main landing gear to collapse from side forces. The pilot stated that the winds were out of 240 degrees at 18 knots. Postaccident examination revealed no evidence of preimpact anomaly.
Factual narrative
On April 27, 1996, at about 1430 eastern daylight time (EDT), a Beech B55, N1580W, registered to Triple S Dynamics Inc., of Dallas, Texas, sustained substantial damage when the main landing gear collapsed during the landing roll, at Preston Glenn Field, in Lynchburg, Virginia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The certificated commercial pilot and the two passengers were not injured. The business flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight departed Islip, New York, at approximately 1200 EDT.
The pilot reported that, when he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane prior to departure, he noticed that the right main landing gear strut was flat. The pilot stated that a mechanic serviced (inflated) the strut prior to his departure. The pilot stated: "The approach and landing...was normal...a slight crosswind from [the] right at 240 (landing runway was 21) was easily corrected for, and touchdown was on the runway centerline, main wheels first. Immediately upon nosewheel contact, the airplane began a swerve to the left which I could not control, even with full right rudder and brake. The left turn continued, off the runway edge and into a soft grassy area. The ground loop forces collapsed the main gear from side forces."
The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction, and indicated that he didn't know why the accident occurred. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction. The pilot's written statement indicated that the winds were out of 240 degrees at 18 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1580W
- Reported as
- Beech B55
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- TC-1443
- Airframe hours
- 8,500
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-L, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Triple S Dynamics Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 13, 1996 · 17 hours before
- Departed
- ISP · Islip, NY
- Destination
- LYH
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- LYH · Preston Glenn Field, runway 21, 5,799 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 70
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9,838 total · 6,700 in this make and model · 9,838 as pilot in command · 69 in the last 90 days · 37 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 18 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.