N15DN

Substantial
None

Beech 36S/N: E-2472

Accident Details

Date
Monday, June 1, 2020
NTSB Number
ERA20CA203
Location
Batavia, NY
Event ID
20200601X50402
Coordinates
43.031665, -78.173332
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear during a precautionary landing after an electrical failure.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
BEECH
Serial Number
E-2472
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1989
Model / ICAO
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1
Seats
6
FAA Model
A36

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
SNOWFLAKE AIRCRAFT LLC
Address
132 SPYGLASS LN
City
FAYETTEVILLE
State / Zip Code
NY 13066-1860
Country
United States

Analysis

According to the pilot, after a normal start and runup, he departed the airport and climbed to the cruise altitude. After reaching that altitude, he noted a flashing message indicator on the GPS that stated there was an electrical system issue. The pilot informed air traffic control that he would return to the departure airport to repair the issue, and about 7 miles from the airport, the GPS and primary flight display began to flash. The pilot pulled the circuit breakers to the flashing displays and set up for a straight in approach to the runway. He realized the airplane needed to lose altitude and attempted to extend the flaps, however, the flaps did not extend. He reset the circuit breakers, but the flaps still did not extend. He continued the approach, mistakenly forgot to extend the landing gear, and landed on the runway with the landing gear retracted. During the accident sequence, the fuselage was substantially damaged. After the accident, the pilot realized that he was interrupted during his starting checklist and concluded that he did not turn on the alternators (alternator and standby alternator) during the start procedures. Therefore, the airplane avionics were running on battery power the entire flight, which resulted in a loss of electrical power. He reported no other mechanical malfunctions of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA20CA203