# NTSB WPR23LA157: Beech 95, N21RS, Bremerton, WA, April 5, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 5, 2023, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Bremerton, WA - Coordinates: 47.49025, -122.7648 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.4903&lon=-122.7648&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA SEA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 107071 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR23LA157 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/107071/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107071 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA157 ## Probable cause Failure of the down limit and down indicator switch and the warning horn switch assemblies, which prevented the landing gear from extending and at the same time providing a false indication that the landing gear was extended. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: landing gear door retract sec](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023231): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 95, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023231/cases.md?model=1153402), [All aircraft, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023231/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech 95, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=1153402), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Landing: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Beech 95, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=1153402), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airplane had been stored outside for a year, and the flight was the first after an annual inspection that had recently been performed. The pilot reported that while on approach to land, he had a gear safe indicator light, but upon touchdown discovered that the gear had not extended. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage at the lateral wing spar carry-through structure. Postaccident examination revealed that the landing gear down limit and down indicator switch, and the warning horn switch were both stuck in the open position. This condition provided a false gear down-and-locked indication and disabled the gear warning horn. ## Factual narrative On April 5, 2023, about 1500 Pacific daylight time, a Beech 95, N21RS sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Bremerton, Washington. The pilot was uninjured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane had been parked on a ramp under a tarpaulin for approximately one year, and that this was the first flight after an annual inspection that had recently been performed. He stated that on final approach for landing, the gear selector lever was down, and the landing gear indicator green light was illuminated. The pilot stated the gear collapsed a few seconds after touchdown, and after viewing the damage, he believed the gear never extended. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage at the lateral wing spar carry-through structure. Postaccident examination immediately following the accident revealed that the landing gear did not extend with the gear selector lever in the down position, although the gear status light illuminated green. The aural gear warning horn, which was designed to activate if the gear was retracted with the throttles at low engine power, was also not audible. Further examination of the gear extension system revealed the landing gear down limit and down indicator switch, along with the interconnected warning horn switch, were stuck in the normally open (NO) position. The NO condition had caused this portion of the electrical circuit to falsely indicate a landing gear down and safe position even though the landing gear was retracted. The NO condition also disabled the landing gear motor circuit and the landing gear warning horn circuit. In this condition the down and locked indicator only needed the landing gear position switch selected to the down position to complete the circuit for a green light gear down indication. After restoring normal operation to the switches, the landing gear extension and gear warning horn operated normally. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N21RS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N21RS), registered now, S/N TD-224 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH 95 - Registry model: [Beech 95](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-95) (registry code 1153402) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TD224 - Year built: 1959 - Airframe hours: 7266 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4A 180 horsepower reciprocating; Lycoming O-360-A4A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 31, 2023, 1 hours before - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: KPWT, Bremerton National, runway 20, 6,000 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, Handheld GPS, Angle of attack indicator ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 67; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 898 total, 540 in this make and model, 640 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 3013.00 inHg - Observed at: KPWT - METAR: METAR KPWT 052156Z AUTO 21010KT 10SM FEW040 OVC050 10/01 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP212 T01000011= ## 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 20230405003939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230405003939A), Apr 5, 2023: Beech 95, Bremerton, WA, Substantial damage. Pilot stated he was doing a maintenance flight after an annual inspection. Pilot selected the gear down position. The green light illumated, but the gear did… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 26, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107071. 10.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 12 pages, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15385787&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records - gear system examination (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 2.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15430886&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Ducolon%20N21RS_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records - annual inspections (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 3.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15430969&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MaintenanceLog_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 537 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15429693&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.pdf 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.