Front Range Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Watkins, Colorado 80137
Thursday, October 18, 1990 14:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS MAKING A SECOND TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING ON RUNWAY 35. HE SAID HE LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR AND OBSERVED A GREEN LIGHT (SAFE) INDICATION. THE AIRPLANE LANDED WHEELS-UP ON THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE COCKPIT DISCLOSED THE LANDING GEAR SELECTOR WAS IN THE UP POSITION AND THE FLAP CONTROL WAS IN THE DOWN POSITION. THE PILOT SAID THE TOUCHDOWN WAS SMOOTH AND HE RAISED THE FLAPS AND 'BEGAN TO CLEAN UP THE AIRPLANE' FOR TAKEOFF. HIS ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED WHEN HE BEGAN TO LOSE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND 'THE AIRCRAFT SEEMED TO BECOME AIRBORNE AGAIN.' ACCORDING TO A BEECH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION SPOKESMAN, THE 95-C55 BARON HAS A SQUAT SWITCH ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR THAT PREVENTS INADVERTENT GEAR RETRACTION SO LONG AS WEIGHT IS APPLIED TO THE STRUTS. WHEN THE WEIGHT IS REMOVED, THE GEAR WILL RETRACT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT RETRACTION OF THE LANDING GEAR. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRPLANE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/18/1990
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1445
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City WATKINS
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80137
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FRONT RANGE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FTG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 5485
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1457 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID BKF
Elevation of weather observation facility 5663
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 70
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 1092
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 18 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42312
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2757T
NTSB Number DEN91LA009
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 95-C55
Aircraft Series Identifier 95-C55
Aircraft Serial Number TE-361
Certified Max Gross Weight 5300
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DENVER AIR CENTER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BLDG. B-3, JEFFCO AIRPORT
Operator City BROOMFIELD
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80021
Operator Code CIUA
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BJC
Departure City BROOMFIELD
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 35
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --