Summary
On March 31, 2010, a Beech 95-B55 (T42A) (N43BS) was involved in an incident near Sevierville, TN. All 3 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's inadvertent retraction of the landing gear on the ground during a touch-and-go landing.
The pilot stated that the intent of the flight was to conduct touch-and-go landings in the twin-engine, retractable-gear airplane. He stated that he made a "textbook" first landing, and that during the landing rollout, he attempted to raise the wing flaps for takeoff. The pilot "mistook the gear lever for the flaps" and the landing gear began to retract. He added power to "overcome the sinking," but the right propeller struck the ground, and the airplane "spun to the right." The airplane came to rest upright, in a grassy area between the runway and taxiway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA10CA201. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N43BS.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's inadvertent retraction of the landing gear on the ground during a touch-and-go landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot stated that the intent of the flight was to conduct touch-and-go landings in the twin-engine, retractable-gear airplane. He stated that he made a "textbook" first landing, and that during the landing rollout, he attempted to raise the wing flaps for takeoff. The pilot "mistook the gear lever for the flaps" and the landing gear began to retract. He added power to "overcome the sinking," but the right propeller struck the ground, and the airplane "spun to the right." The airplane came to rest upright, in a grassy area between the runway and taxiway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported 50 hours of flight time in the accident airplane, and flew it "every couple of weeks." The pilot's most recent experience in the accident airplane make and model was 30 days prior to the accident. The airplane's landing gear and flap control levers were the same color and approximately the same size, but were located on opposite sides of the control column.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA10CA201