NTSB Factual Report

On July 19, 2015, about 1030 eastern daylight time, a Beech 35-C33, N829T, was substantially damaged during landing at Wilmington International Airport (ILM), Wilmington, North Carolina. The commercial pilot was not injured. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which departed Pilots Ridge Airport (03NC), Carolina Beach, North Carolina, about 1015. The flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to the pilot, he departed 03NC for ILM with the intent of completing several touch-and-go landings. Shortly after rotation during the takeoff from 03NC, his airspeed indicator was indicating low and sporadic, but he was confident that he had flying speed. The engine sounded strong, and there was not enough runway remaining to "cut power" and land, so he continued the short flight. He contacted ILM air traffic control and requested an expedited landing since the airplane did not "feel right." He reported that he kept the landing gear down and continued to ILM with a low cruise power setting. He was directed to runway 24 and cleared to land. He reported completing his pre-landing check list and, due to no reliable airspeed indication, establishing approach power settings. He lowered the flaps and at 6 to 8 ft above the runway, reduced power to idle to bleed off air speed to a near stall touch down. He reported that, after a short time with the wheels at full runway contact, the landing gear "collapsed." When asked about operating the landing gear selector, the pilot stated that he did not recall moving the selector.

A flight instructor who witnessed the airplane during the final approach noted that the landing gear was in the extended position.

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with a rating for lighter-then-air balloons, and a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multiengine land, and instrument airplane. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate was issued May 19, 2015. The pilot reported that he had accrued approximately 7,600 total hours of flight experience, of which 50 hours were in the accident airplane make and model.

The low-wing, retractable landing gear airplane, serial number CD-821, was manufactured in 1964 and powered by a Continental Motors IO 520-series engine, rated to produce 285 horsepower. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on June 1, 2015. At the time of the inspection, the airplane had accrued 3,181.0 total hours of operation.

The FAA inspector who responded to the accident location reported the nose landing gear was collapsed, the main landing gear was partially extended, and noted scaring of the runway surface. Examination of the airplane by a mechanic revealed that the main landing gear inner doors were ground down, scrubbing was evident on the sides of the main tires, the nose landing gear was in its well with the actuating rod bent, and the wing roots (inboard ribs and wing structure) were substantially damaged. The mechanic stated that "examination of the landing gear position, and the three push-pull rods connected to the gear box for landing gear retraction and extension, revealed that the landing gear had not collapsed but had been in "transition" when the airplane touched down." The inboard main landing gear doors were open, and the landing gear circuit breaker was tripped. There was no evidence of pre-accident malfunction and the mechanic was able to extend the landing gear manually.

Beechcraft Pilot Operating Handbook

According to the airplane's pilot operating handbook (POH), Section IV, "Normal Procedures" stated in the before landing checklist, "Landing Gear – DOWN and CHECK."

Section VII, "Systems Description" stated "The landing gears are operated through adjustable linkage connected to an actuator assembly mounted beneath the front seats. The actuator assembly is driven by an electric motor. The landing gear may be electrically retracted and extended, and in an emergency may be extended manually." The section further described that "landing gear position indicator lights on the right side of the control console show red when the gear is up, or green when it is down, illuminating only when the actuator assembly reaches either extreme. In addition, a mechanical indicator on the floorboard beneath the control console shows the position of the nose gear. Its pointer is linked by a cable to the actuating mechanism and moves simultaneously with it." The POH also stated that "the landing gear circuit breaker will pop out under overload conditions."

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to ensure that the landing gear was in the down and locked position before touchdown, which resulted in a landing with the gear in transit.