Beechcraft A36 N41VK

Summary

On 23 November 2018 at about 13:20 local time, a Beechcraft A36 registered N41VK was involved in an accident near Summerland Key, 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

23 November 2018 at 13:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Summerland Key, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Summerland Key Cove Airport (FD51)

Coordinates

25.7953, -80.2900

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36

Registration

N41VK

Category

Airplane

Year built

1981

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pompano Beach → Summerland Key

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA19TA067

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s inadvertent retraction of the landing gear during landing rollout, resulting in a landing gear collapse.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during taxi after landing on a 2,550-ft-long asphalt runway, he intended to retract the flaps, but accidently retracted the landing gear, resulting in the nose gear and right main landing gear collapsing on the runway. The pilot added that that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Examination of the accident site revealed runway scrape marks and propeller strikes originating about 1,000 ft beyond the approach end of the runway. The marks extended about 500 ft and terminated at the wreckage, off the left side of the runway. The left main landing gear remained extended and the right wing and lower fuselage sustained damage. The length of scrape marks and extent of damage were consistent with a landing gear collapse during a high-speed landing rollout, rather than a low-speed taxi after landing. The airplane was equipped with a squat switch on both main landing gear to prevent inadvertent landing gear retraction on the ground; however, the switch required weight-on-wheels to work effectively. It's likely that the pilot bounced the landing and attempted to retract the flaps in an effort to settle the airplane on the runway for better wheel braking; however, without weight on the right main landing gear, the gear retracted when the pilot inadvertently moved the landing gear lever instead of the flap lever.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.