West Texas Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Paso, Texas 79951
Tuesady, March 29, 1983 8:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON A FLT AFTER AN ANNUAL INSPN, THE PLT COULD NOT RETRACT THE GEAR, USING THE NORMAL ELECTRICAL SYS. IT REMAINED EXTENDED WITH THE GREEN SAFE LIGHT ON & THE GEAR POINTER INDICATING DOWN. HE TRIED TO ASSIST THE NORMAL SYS WITH THE MANUAL HANDCRANK, ALTHOUGH THE PLT HANDBOOK DID NOT ALLOW THIS PRACTICE, BUT TO NO AVAIL. HE THEN USED THE HANDCRANK TO MOVE THE GEAR TO THE EXTENDED POSITION, BUT THE GREEN LIGHT WOULD NOT REILLUMINATE. THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND ON THE DIRT OVERRUN AREA, BUT DID NOT SEE A GRADED DIRT BANK, SHORT OF THE OVERRUN. THE GEAR HIT THE BANK & COLLAPSED DURING THE LANDING. THE LANDING GEAR CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS FOUND IN THE 'POPPED' POSITION. THE NORMAL & EMERGENCY GEAR SYS HAD BEEN CHECKED DURING THE ANNUAL INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT ALL BREAKERS WERE IN ON THE DAY BEFORE THE FLT. REPORTEDLY, THE PLT WAS UNAWARE OF A CHECKLIST ITEM TO ASSURE ALL BREAKERS WERE IN BEFORE STARTING THE ENG. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL WHEN OR WHY THE LANDING GEAR CIRCUIT BREAKER GOT INTO THE POPPED POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/29/1983
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City EL PASO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79951
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WEST TEXAS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TX04
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 4007
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 8
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1814
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22084
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3732N
NTSB Number FTW83LA169
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 35
Aircraft Series Identifier 35
Aircraft Serial Number D-941
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 26 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PEARSON R. CROSBY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 198 CHRSTNUT PLACE
Aircraft Owner City PETERSBURG
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 62675
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
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 750
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 24LL
Destination City PETERSBURG
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26
Runway Length 4100
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --