- Date
- February 21, 1996, 19:00 local (Feb 22, 1996, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Laurel, MT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3363VBeech 35
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960221004439A
- Case key
- 42336
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 extend the landing gear. Factors related to the accident were: an inoperative gear warning system, the dark night, and the pilot's failure to follow the checklist.
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 after he entered the pattern for landing, he began the 'GUMP' preparations while making announcements of his position. The flight was conducted after dark, and the pilot stated that he did not visually check to make sure that the landing gear was extended because there was no light that showed the mechanical position of the landing gear. The pilot also stated that the red landing gear panel light was out and the warning horn did not sound. The airplane touched down with the landing gear retracted.
Factual narrative
On February 21, 1996, at 1900 mountain standard time, a Beech 35, N3363V, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR 91 personal flight, landed with the landing gear retracted at Laurel, Montana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The flight originated from Columbus, Montana, about one half hour before the accident.
The pilot reported that he was returning to Laurel after washing his airplane. The pilot stated that he entered the traffic pattern for runway 22 and began his "GUMP" preparations while making announcements of his position in the pattern. The pilot stated that he did not visually check to make sure that the landing gear was extended, as there was no light that showed the mechanical position of the landing gear. The pilot also stated that the red landing gear panel light was out and the warning horn did not sound.
The airplane touched down with the landing gear unintentionally retracted.
After the accident, the pilot had the airplane drug approximately 20 feet to clear the runway. Later, the airplane was raised and the landing gear was extended. The airplane was then towed to the parking area. The pilot claims that the structural damage to the bulkhead was done when the airplane was drug off the runway.
The Federal Aviation Administration inspector from the Helena, Montana, Flight Standards District Office and two FAA certificated mechanics reported that the bulkhead was ground down and the material was thin. The FAA inspector and one mechanic felt that the extensive grinding was a result of the gear up landing. The second mechanic did not have an opinion.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3363V
- Reported as
- Beech 35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-829
- Airframe hours
- 4,100
- Engine
- Continental E-185-8, 185 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert M. Felt
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 2, 1995 · 6 hours before
- Departed
- 6S3 · Columbus, MT
- Airport
- 6S8 · Laurel Muni, runway 22, 3,775 × 50 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 500 total · 120 in this make and model · 400 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BIL, 11 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.