Beechcraft 95-C55 N2757T

Summary

On 18 October 1990 at about 20:45 local time, a Beechcraft 95-C55 registered N2757T, operated by Denver Air Center, was involved in an accident near Watkins, Colorado, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 October 1990 at 20:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Watkins, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Front Range (FTG)

Coordinates

39.7507, -104.6009

Aircraft

Beechcraft 95-C55

Registration

N2757T

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Denver Air Center

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Broomfield → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN91LA009

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT RETRACTION OF THE LANDING GEAR. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRPLANE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT WAS MAKING A SECOND TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING ON RUNWAY 35. HE SAID HE LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR AND OBSERVED A GREEN LIGHT (SAFE) INDICATION. THE AIRPLANE LANDED WHEELS-UP ON THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE COCKPIT DISCLOSED THE LANDING GEAR SELECTOR WAS IN THE UP POSITION AND THE FLAP CONTROL WAS IN THE DOWN POSITION. THE PILOT SAID THE TOUCHDOWN WAS SMOOTH AND HE RAISED THE FLAPS AND 'BEGAN TO CLEAN UP THE AIRPLANE' FOR TAKEOFF. HIS ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED WHEN HE BEGAN TO LOSE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND 'THE AIRCRAFT SEEMED TO BECOME AIRBORNE AGAIN.' ACCORDING TO A BEECH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION SPOKESMAN, THE 95-C55 BARON HAS A SQUAT SWITCH ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR THAT PREVENTS INADVERTENT GEAR RETRACTION SO LONG AS WEIGHT IS APPLIED TO THE STRUTS. WHEN THE WEIGHT IS REMOVED, THE GEAR WILL RETRACT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.