# NTSB MIA07IA080: Beech E-55, N25612, Key West, FL, March 31, 2007 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: March 31, 2007, 10:38 local (14:38 UTC) - Place: Key West, FL - Coordinates: 24.55611, -81.759445 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=24.5561&lon=-81.7594&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 30, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Miami FSDO, Hawker-Beechcraft - NTSB case key (mKey): 65598 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA07IA080 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/65598/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA07IA080 ## Probable cause Failure of the nose landing gear drag brace due to overload during landing rollout for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was the airplane had not been modified with an improved nose landing gear drag brace. ## Analysis The pilot stated that when he extended the landing gear on final approach he received a green gear down light. During landing rollout the nose landing gear collapsed. Examination of the airplane after the incident by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors showed the nose landing gear torque link had failed, causing the nose landing gear to collapse. Metallurgical examination of the nose landing gear drag brace was performed at the National Transportation Safety Board Materials Laboratory. The examination showed the drag brace had fractured in the tubing; at a point just forward of the right attach point. The fracture faces displayed surfaces that were inclined at approximately 45-degrees to the axis of the separated portion of the tubing, consistent with an overload event. The incident airplane was manufactured in January 1973. A representative from Hawker-Beechcraft stated that beginning in model year 1978, an improved nose landing gear drag brace was incorporated into new production airplanes. Beech also issued service kit 35-4012-1 S, which allowed for upgrade of earlier model E-55 airplanes with the improved nose landing gear drag brace. The representative stated that pictures of the failed drag brace from the accident airplane shows it was not the improved drag brace. Maintenance personnel for the incident airplane owner stated that a review of airplane logbook records show no evidence that the drag brace had been changed in the life of the airplane and that the failed drag brace appeared to be the original supplied with the airplane from the factory. ## Factual narrative On March 31, 2007, about 1038 eastern daylight time, a Beech E-55, N25612, registered to Baron Flyers, Inc., and operated by an individual, as a 14 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) Part 91 personal flight, experienced collapse of the nose landing gear during landing roll at Key West International Airport, Key West, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight from Sarasota, Florida, to Key West. The airplane received minor damage and the certificated commercial and the one passenger were not injured. The flight originated from Sarasota, the same day, about 0934. The pilot stated that when he extended the landing gear on final approach he received a green gear down light. During landing, the initial touchdown was gentle, first on the right main gear, then on the left main gear. He let the nose down gently, but it continued to fall. He pulled back on the control wheel and applied brakes, but the airplane nose contacted the runway. When the airplane stopped he turned off the fuel and the electrical power and he and the passenger exited the airplane. Examination of the airplane after the incident by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector showed the nose landing gear drag brace was fractured, causing the nose landing gear to collapse. Metallurgical examination of the nose landing gear drag brace was performed at the National Transportation Safety Board Materials Laboratory, Washington, D.C. The examination showed the drag brace had fractured in the tubing, at a point just forward of the right attach point. The fracture surface was relatively clean with a light discoloration that would be consistent with the onset of corrosion since the separation event. The fracture faces displayed surfaces that were inclined at approximately 45-degrees to the axis of the separated portion of the tubing, consistent with an overload event. The incident airplane is a Beech model E-55, serial number TE-897, manufactured in January 1973. A representative from Hawker-Beechcraft stated that beginning in model year 1978, with model E-55, serial number 1114, an improved nose landing gear drag brace was incorporated into new production airplanes. Beech also issued service kit 35-4012-1 S, which allowed for upgrade of model E-55 airplanes prior to serial number 1114 with the improved nose landing gear drag brace. The Hawker-Beechcraft representative stated that pictures of the failed drag brace from the accident airplane shows it was not the improved drag brace. Maintenance personnel for the incident airplane owner stated that a review of airplane logbook records show no evidence that the drag brace had been changed in the life of the airplane and that the failed drag brace appeared to be the original supplied with the airplane from the factory. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Nose gear collapsed, landing - roll - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - landing gear,nose gear assembly - overload - maintenance,replacement - not performed, other maintenance personnel (contributing factor) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N25612](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N25612), registered now, S/N TE-897 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech E-55 - Registry model: [Beech E-55](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-e-55) (registry code 1152732) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TE-897 - Airframe hours: 3320 - Engines: Continental 10-520 CB 285 horsepower reciprocating; Continental I0-520-C 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Baron Flyers, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 1, 2007, 13 hours before - Departed: SRQ, Sarasota, FL - Destination: EYW, Key West, FL - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: EYW, Key West Intl, runway 09, 4,801 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 1, 2007; seat: left; flight hours: 1,228 total, 438 in this make and model, 1,027 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: EYW, 1 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). - [Incident 20070331004389I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070331004389I), Mar 31, 2007: Beech E55, Key West, FL, Minor damage. (-23) On March 31, 2007 a baron owned and operated by baron flyers inc., landed at Key West, Florida (eyw). Upon landing the nose gear collapsed. According to… ## Other investigations on N25612 (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB DEN76DTM48](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN76DTM48), Sep 4, 1976: Beech 95-E55 (N25612), Tremonton, UT, substantial damage From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; 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.