Beechcraft C90A N12LE

Summary

On 15 February 2006 at about 20:10 local time, a Beechcraft C90A registered N12LE was involved in an accident near Tampa, Florida, United States. One person was 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

15 February 2006 at 20:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Tampa, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Tampa Intl (TPA)

Coordinates

27.9756, -82.5331

Aircraft

Beechcraft C90A

Registration

N12LE

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Miami → Tampa

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA06LA055

Nobody was injured.

The collapse of the right main landing gear for an undetermined reason during the landing roll, which resulted in a collision with the runway. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to follow the published emergency/abnormal procedures.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The solo airline transport pilot was conducting a VFR positioning flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, in a twin-engine, turboprop airplane. While on approach to the destination airport, the pilot moved the landing gear control selector to the down position, and he saw a red annunciator warning light, indicting that the right main landing gear was not safe for landing. The pilot then discontinued the approach, and referred to the emergency and abnormal procedures section of the checklist, but noted that he was unable to find any clear direction that pertained to his specific condition. Additionally, he contacted maintenance personnel to request technical assistance, but the technician was unable to offer any additional assistance. The pilot retracted and extended the landing gear three times, but the right main landing gear red annunciator warning light remained on each time. The pilot flew by the local control tower so air traffic control tower personnel, along with maintenance technicians could inspect the landing gear prior to landing. At the completion of the fly by, the pilot was advised that the right main landing gear appeared to be down, and the airplane was cleared to land. After landing, as the airplane's ground roll slowed, the right main landing gear collapsed. The right wing struck the surface of the runway and sustained substantial damage. A postaccident inspection revealed no preaccident mechanical anomalies. The right main landing gear actuator and the right main landing gear downlock switch were removed for additional testing and evaluation, and both functioned properly, with no mechanical anomalies noted. The airplane flight manual, abnormal procedures section, does give instructions for an alternate method of lowering the landing gear by pumping it down by hand until it reaches a locked position, or until maximum system pressure is reached if the down lock light does not illuminate. The pilot did not follow these procedures.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.