Beechcraft A36 N6672B

Summary

On 9 July 2012 at about 14:25 local time, a Beechcraft A36 registered N6672B, operated by Aircraft Engineering Inc, was involved in an accident near Johns Island, South Carolina, United States. 2 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

9 July 2012 at 14:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Johns Island, South Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Charleston Executive Airport (KJZI)

Coordinates

32.7006, -80.0019

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36

Registration

N6672B

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Aircraft Engineering Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bartow → Johns Island

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA12LA450

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to complete the manual emergency gear extension after a loss of electrical power. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to delegate the landing gear extension to a non-pilot-rated passenger.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was in cruise flight when it experienced symptoms of an electrical failure and the alternator "fail" light illuminated. A normal deployment of the landing gear was unsuccessful, so the pilot had the non-pilot-rated passenger review the manual gear extension procedure and then attempt to lower the gear. The pilot "confirmed" the landing gear handle would no longer rotate, but the electrical power loss precluded confirmation by the landing gear lights. The airplane completed a "no-bounce" landing and then settled to the runway on its belly, which resulted in substantial damage to airframe stringers and frames; the damage was consistent with the landing gear doors being closed during landing. According to a mechanic who supervised the recovery of the airplane from the runway, the airplane was resting on its belly with the landing gear retracted. He said the gear was "maybe 5 percent" deployed but remained retracted as the airplane was lifted with straps. Another mechanic entered the airplane, engaged the manual gear handle, and lowered the gear to the down and locked position. The battery master switch was turned on, and three green down-and-locked lights illuminated.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.