Taos Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Taos, New Mexico 87525
Thursday, March 12, 1998 19:40 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot attempted to lower the landing gear in preparation for a normal landing. When he lowered the landing gear switch, the gear lock indicators failed to indicate the landing gear in the down-and-locked position. Manual extension of the landing gear was also unsuccessful. After circling the airport for approximately 20-30 minutes, he executed an emergency gear-up landing. Postaccident examination of the aircraft revealed that the landing gear box had failed, causing the flaps attachment tracks to separate from the spar webbing, and the belly formers to be damaged.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The total failure of the landing gear retraction/extension assembly for reasons undetermined.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/12/1998
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1940
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City TAOS
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87525
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TAOS MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SKX
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 7091
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2036 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SKX
Elevation of weather observation facility 7091
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 7358
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 410
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 13 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2231
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2001 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9239Q
NTSB Number FTW98LA148
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model 58
Aircraft Series Identifier 58
Aircraft Serial Number TH139
Certified Max Gross Weight 5400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 30 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours 6005
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HAMILTON ENTERPRISES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3307 PARK HILLS DR.
Aircraft Owner City AUSTIN
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78746
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ICAN ENTERPRISES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4213 VERDE VISTA
Operator City GEORGETOWN
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 78628
Operator Code IQCA
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AUS
Departure City AUSTIN
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code SKX
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2001 6:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 5798
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --