Mccarran International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Las Vegas, Nevada 89111
Tuesady, August 17, 1999 18:17 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot landed with the landing gear in the retracted position, when both the main and auxiliary hydraulic systems failed to extend the gear. The airplane caught fire as it skidded down the runway. The left inboard main tire had blown on takeoff and a 30-inch section of tread was loose. Black marks were along the length of the landing gear strut and up into the wheel well directly above the left inboard wheel. The normal and emergency hydraulic systems both connect to a common valve body on the landing gear actuator. This valve body also had black marks on it. A gap of 0.035 inch was measured between the valve body and actuator. When either the normal or auxiliary hydraulic system was pressurized, red fluid leaked from this gap. Examination revealed that one of two bolts holding the hydraulic control valve in place had fractured and separated. The fractured bolt experienced a shear load that was oriented along the longitudinal axis of the actuator in a plane consistent with impact forces from the flapping tire tread section.. Separation of only one bolt allowed the control valve to twist about the remaining bolt in response to the load along the actuator's longitudinal axis. This led to a loss of clamping force on that side of the actuator. Hydraulic line pressure lifted the control valve, which resulted in rupture of an o-ring that sealed the hydraulic fluid passage. 14 CFR 25.739 describes the requirement for protection of equipment in wheel wheels from the effects of tire debris. The revision of this regulation in effect at the time the airplane's type design was approved by the FAA requires that equipment and systems essential to safe operation of the airplane that is located in wheel wells must be protected by shields or other means from the damaging effects of a loose tire tread, unless it is shown that a loose tire tread cannot cause damage. Examination of the airplane and the FAA approved production drawings disclosed that no shields were installed to protect the hydraulic system components in the wheel well.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the complete failure of all hydraulic systems due to the effects of a main gear tire disintegration on takeoff. Also causal was the manufacturer's inadequate design of the wheel wells, which did not comply with applicable certification regulations, and the FAA's failure to ensure that the airplane's design complied with standards mandated in certification regulations.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/17/1999
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1817
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LAS VEGAS
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89111
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport McCarran International
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LAS
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 2181
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1756 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LAS
Elevation of weather observation facility 2181
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 37
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
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 8
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14471
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 17 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1857
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2003 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N454DP
NTSB Number LAX99FA272
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model BH 125-600A
Aircraft Series Identifier BH 125-600
Aircraft Serial Number 256044
Certified Max Gross Weight 25500
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 10
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Apr 9 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 58
Airframe Hours 5748
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DP AIR LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1111 MARLKRESS RD STE200
Aircraft Owner City CHERRY HILL
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 08003
Operator is an individual? No
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 --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SLN
Departure City SALINA
Departure State KS
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code LAS
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Sep 2 2003 6:24PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19L
Runway Length 9777
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --