Beechcraft A36 N17826

Summary

On 22 October 2025 at about 21:35 local time, a Beechcraft A36 registered N17826 was involved in an accident near Hondo, Texas, 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

22 October 2025 at 21:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Hondo, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

South Texas Regional Airport (HDO)

Coordinates

29.3591, -99.1775

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36

Registration

N17826

Category

Airplane

Year built

1977

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Georgetown → Hondo

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN26LA028

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear before landing due to distraction and his failure to conduct the Before Landing checklist.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was inbound to the airport when he heard that another airplane was also approaching the airport. The pilot of the other airplane intended to enter the downwind for the same runway, so the pilot opted to do a straight in final approach. When the pilot initially intended to lower the landing gear, he realized the airplane was too fast, so he did not lower the landing gear at that time. Then, he heard the pilot of the other airplane make a radio call and he became distracted looking for the other airplane. As he approached the runway, he heard a horn, but he assumed it was the stall warning horn. He stated that he was not worried about the warning horn because the airplane was already positioned to land on the runway. The airplane then landed with the landing gear retracted. The lower fuselage structure was substantially damaged during the wheels-up landing. After the landing, the pilot realized the horn he heard was the landing gear warning horn and not the stall warning horn. He also said that he erroneously thought he lowered the gear down lever before landing, but it was the flap lever that he manipulated instead. The pilot acknowledged that he should have reviewed the Before Landing checklist before he entered the traffic pattern. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.