# NTSB SEA94LA074: Beech 58P, N717HL, Billings, MT, March 6, 1994

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: March 6, 1994, 09:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place: Billings, MT
- Location: 45.8078° N, 108.5435° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at BILLINGS LOGAN INTL (BIL), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.8078&lon=-108.5435&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 2, 1994
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 41887
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA94LA074
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/41887/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA94LA074

## Probable cause

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT RETRACTION OF THE LANDING GEAR WHILE ON THE RUNWAY.

## Sequence of events

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

- Complete gear collapsed, landing - roll
  - gear retraction - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

THE PILOT TOOK OFF AND ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN IN ORDER TO PRACTICE TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS. WHILE ON THE RUNWAY AFTER THE FIRST LANDING, THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY RAISED THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE, AND THE GEAR RETRACTED.

## Factual narrative

On March 6, 1994, approximately 0930 mountain standard time, the gear on a Beech 58P, N717HL, retracted during the landing roll at Billings-Logan Airport, Billings, Montana. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The personal pleasure flight, which had just taken off from the same location for the purpose of practicing touch-and-go landings, was in visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed, and there was no report of an ELT activation.

According to the FAA inspector who responded to the accident, the pilot reported that while performing touch-and-go landings on runway 28R, he accidently retracted the landing gear just after the airplane touched down.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N717HL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N717HL-2017-08-30), registration cancelled 2017-08-30, S/N TJ-160, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH 58P
- Registry model: [Beech 58P](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-58p) (registry code 1152744) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: TJ160
- Airframe hours: 1837
- Engines: CONTINENTAL TSIO-520L 310 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Intermountain Distributing Co.
- Registered owner: Intermountain Distributing Co.
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Limited (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 1993, 67 hours before
- Airport: BIL, Billings-Logan Field, runway 28, 8,500 × 200 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 75; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 3,000 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 260° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 50 °F

## 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 19940306044369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940306044369A), Mar 6, 1994: Beech 58P, Billings, MT, Substantial damage. Inadvertently retracted landing gear instead of flaps during touch and go landing.

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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