N2167L

On June 27, 2004, about 0730 central daylight time, a Beech V35B, N2167L, registered to a private individual, was landed with the landing gear retracted at the Stennis International Airport, Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight from the Mobile Downtown Airport, Mobile, Alabama, to the Stennis International Airport, Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated about 0700, from the Mobile Downtown Airport.

The pilot stated that the flight proceeded to the destination airport where he descended to traffic pattern altitude and entered the downwind leg at a normal 45-degree entry. When abeam the numbers during the downwind leg, he placed the landing gear selector handle to the down position and observed three green lights. He also reported that the airplane slowed as though the extended gear drag was present. The rest of the approach was what he considered typical and at no time was there any indication that something was "amiss." After a typical final approach he reduced power to idle and entered ground effect, then during the flare approximately 2-5 feet above the runway surface, he heard the gear warning horn sound but it was not until the propeller contacted the runway surface did he realize, "...the gear must not have been locked, or must have cycled back into the up position." The airplane came to rest on the right side of the runway. The pilot further stated that after the airplane was raised from the runway, all landing gears were in their respective wheel wells with the doors fully closed. He then entered the cockpit, noted the landing gear motor circuit breaker was popped, and cycled the landing gear selector handle from the down to the up then down position. He then pushed in the landing gear motor circuit breaker, turned on the master switch, and the landing gear extended. The airplane was then towed to the hangar.

Following recovery of the airplane, it was placed on jacks and in the presence of an FAA airworthiness inspector, six complete landing gear retraction checks were performed with no discrepancies noted.