# NTSB LAX03LA163: Beech 58, N18142, Big Bear City, CA, June 1, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 1, 2003, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Big Bear City, CA - Coordinates: 34.26361, -116.854446 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2636&lon=-116.8544&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 1, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 57056 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX03LA163 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57056/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03LA163 ## Probable cause The pilot's excessive approach speed and misjudged landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and collapse of the landing gear. A factor in the accident was the pilot's failure to use flaps. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flaps - not used, pilot in command (contributing factor) - airspeed - excessive, pilot in command (cause) - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - Complete gear collapsed, landing - roll - landing gear - overload ## Analysis The airplane sustained substantial damage during a hard landing. A witness to the accident stated that the airplane was approaching "too hot" and touched down three separate times due to its high approach speed. On the third touchdown, the airplane's landing gear collapsed and the airplane slid to a stop. Photographs of the runway surface displayed a noticeable crack running the length of the runway, left of the centerline. Significant markings were located approximately midpoint down the runway. Two parallel black skid marks with irregular zigzag patterns, exhibiting heavy tread markings, were also visible left of the centerline. These skid marks were about 6 feet apart and parallel to the runway centerline. The left skid mark was located about 6 inches left of the crack. The right skid mark was located about 5 feet to the right of the crack. There were two sets of six thin scrape marks dimensionally similar to propeller slashes in the runway surface located adjacent to each of the two black skid marks. There was approximately 12 inches in between each of the scrape marks, which were perpendicular to the runway centerline. One set of scrape marks was on the left side of the left skid mark. The second set of scrape marks was on the right side of the right skid mark. A third mark, located midpoint in between the two black skid marks, consisted of a skid mark, which was nearly covered by a white paint transfer. This mark ran parallel to the runway centerline. All three skid marks faded as they continued down the length of the runway. The accident aircraft was painted white. The mechanic who examined the airplane after the accident stated that there was no evidence of a mechanical gear failure. Flight control and flap continuity were also checked with no anomalies noted. The flaps were examined, and found to be in the up position, consistent with the flap selector position. The flaps were not damaged. The mechanic noted that the flaps are normally damaged if they are in the down position and the gear collapses. The pilot told the mechanic that he was not sure if he had put the flaps down during the approach. ## Factual narrative On June 1, 2003, about 1500 Pacific daylight time, a Beech 58, N18142, a twin-engine airplane, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at Big Bear City Airport (L35), Big Bear City, California. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured. The personal cross-country flight departed Catalina Airport (AVX), Avalon, California, en route to L35 at 1415. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed. According to the pilot, the approach was normal. As he touched down, it felt like the nose gear was in a rut. He immediately pulled back on the yoke and the airplane became airborne. As it touched down a second time, the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded down the runway to a stop. He examined the runway and found a rut that ran the length of the runway. A witness told a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that the airplane appeared to oscillate on final approach, made a hard landing, and porpoised down the runway. The Big Bear City Airport Director, also a witness to the accident, stated that the airplane was approaching "too hot" and began to touch down. It touched down three separate times due to its high approach speed. On the third touchdown, the airplane's landing gear collapsed and the airplane slid to a stop. During a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC), the Big Bear City Airport Manager stated that there were several significant cracks on the runway, which develop each winter. Some of the cracks had just recently been filled in. The Airport Manager took pictures of the runway after the accident. Photographs received by the IIC displayed a noticeable crack running the length of the runway, left of the centerline. Significant markings were located approximately midpoint down the runway. Two parallel black skid marks with irregular zigzag patterns, exhibiting heavy tread markings, were also visible left of the centerline. These skid marks were about 6 feet apart and parallel to the runway centerline. The left skid mark was located about 6 inches left of the crack. The right skid mark was located about 5 feet to the right of the crack. There were two sets of six thin scrape marks dimensionally similar to propeller slashes in the runway surface located adjacent to each of the two black skid marks. There was approximately 12 inches in between each of the scrape marks, which were perpendicular to the runway centerline. One set of scrape marks was on the left side of the left skid mark. The second set of scrape marks was on the right side of the right skid mark. A third mark, located midpoint in between the two black skid marks, consisted of a skid mark, which was nearly covered by white paint transfer. This mark ran parallel to the runway centerline. All three skid marks fade as they continue down the length of the runway. The accident aircraft was painted white. During a telephone interview with the IIC, the mechanic who examined the airplane stated that there was no evidence of a mechanical gear failure. Flight control and flap continuity were also checked with no anomalies noted. During the inspection he noticed that the flaps were in the up position, consistent with the flap selector position. The flaps were not damaged. The mechanic noted that the flaps normally are damaged if they are in the down position and the gear collapses. The pilot told the mechanic that he was not sure if he had put the flaps down during the approach. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N18142](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N18142), registered now, S/N TH-1270, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech 58 - Registry model: [Beech 58](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-58) (registry code 1152740) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TH-1270 - Airframe hours: 3950 - Engines: Continental IO-520 285 horsepower reciprocating; Continental IO520 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: S W Retail Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 18, 2002, 67 hours before - Departed: AVX, Avalon, CA - Destination: L35, Big Bear City, CA - Airport: L35, Big Bear City Airport, runway 08, 5,850 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review March 3, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 345 total, 65 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 30.22 inHg - Observed at: L35 ## 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 20030601027769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030601027769A), Jun 1, 2003: Beech 58, Big Bear, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) A Beech 58, N18142 sustained substantial damage when the gear collapsed upon landing at Big Bear City Airport, Big Bear city, California. 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.