N718CD – BEECH 35-B33 – 2014-10-11 NTSB Accident Report

On October 11, 2014, a Beech 35-B33 (N718CD) was involved in an incident near Effingham, IL. All 2 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 failure to lower the landing gear.

The pilot reported that 30 minutes after departure at 6,000 feet mean sea level, the airplane's door opened in flight. He stated that the temperature dropped, papers went flying about the cabin, and the noise was 'overwhelming.' The passenger tried to hold the door shut, but could not secured it. The pilot diverted to a nearby airport for landing. The pilot stated that he "simply forgot to put the gear down." The airplane touched down and skidded on its belly resulting in substantial damage to the airplane's stringers, formers, and main spar carry through. The pilot reported that there was no malfunction or system failure of the airplane before the accident.

This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN15CA011. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N718CD.