Bemedji-Beltrami County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bemidji, Minnesota 56601
Monday, May 17, 1999 18:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said that after takeoff and raising the landing gear, the red warning light in the landing gear handle failed to go out. The pilot recycled the landing gear, but could not get the red light to go out. On return to the airport, the pilot lowered the landing gear handle down, but nothing happened. He recycled the handle two additional times with no results. The pilot overflew the airport and confirmed that the landing gear were still up. The pilot manually pumped the landing gear down. Only the nose gear and right main gear green indicator lights illuminated. The pilot overflew the airport again. He was told that the three gear were down. During the landing, the pilot touched down on the right main gear first, and then gently lowered the left main gear to the runway. The landing gear held. As the pilot applied reverse thrust, the left main gear suddenly collapsed. The airplane slid off of the left side of the runway and came to a stop in the grass. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Failure of the left main landing gear actuator for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/17/1999
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1840
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BEMIDJI
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56601
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BEMEDJI-BELTRAMI COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BJI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 310
Airport Elevation 1390
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1753 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 185
Weather Observation Facility ID PKD
Elevation of weather observation facility 1443
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 37
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 22
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1876
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 250
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 24 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:33AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N133BA
NTSB Number CHI99LA156
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model 99A
Aircraft Series Identifier 99A
Aircraft Serial Number U-142
Certified Max Gross Weight 10400
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 Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection May 13 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 8017
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BEMIDJI AVIATION SERVICES, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4125 MOBERG DRIVE, NW
Aircraft Owner City BEMIDJI
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 56601
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code BEMA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code BJI
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1740
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 6598
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --