Falcon Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mesa, Arizona 85201
Sunday, December 26, 1999 12:42 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Following completion of an annual inspection, the pilot took off for a local area flight. The pilot performed one takeoff and landing. Then, during the landing gear retraction process on the next takeoff, the pilot observed a cockpit indication that the left main landing gear did not normally retract. No "up lock" light illuminated. In an effort at remedying the situation, the landing gear circuit breaker was pulled. Then, the hand pump was utilized to manually extend the gear. Following this effort, only two green landing gear position lights illuminated. The pilot stated he informed the control tower that he would be landing with an unsafe gear indication. After landing and rolling between 80 and 100 feet, the left main gear collapsed. As the airplane slid to a stop it veered into a taxi light and onto the dirt clearway. An FAA inspector examined the airplane and found the left gear's actuator shaft was broken in half, and the knuckle attachment bolts had been "pulled out" of the structure. No evidence of any preexisting defect or malfunction in the gear assembly was observed. The noted evidence was consistent with the airplane having been subjected to a hard landing. However, the date(s) for the occurrence could not be determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The collapse of a main landing gear due to damage from a hard landing at an undetermined time.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/26/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1242
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City MESA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85201
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport FALCON FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FFZ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1394
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1256 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 251
Weather Observation Facility ID PHX
Elevation of weather observation facility 1135
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 18000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 66
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 36
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11170
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 26 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1155
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 14 2001 9:59AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N184R
NTSB Number LAX00LA064
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 65-80
Aircraft Series Identifier 65-80
Aircraft Serial Number DL-54
Certified Max Gross Weight 8000
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 9
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 21 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 3451
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HARRY HAWKINS
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City MEMPHIS
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38119
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City PRESCOTT
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 86301
Operator Code
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 IWA
Departure City PHOENIX
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1232
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code FFZ
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 1 2001 4:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 4R
Runway Length 5102
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --