Mondell Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Newcastle, Wyoming 82701
Friday, June 7, 2002 17:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After practicing maneuvers outlined in the commercial pilot practical flight test guide, the pilot returned to the airport and performed different types of takeoffs and landings on runway 31. The pilot said the airport's AWOS (automated weather observation station) then reported a wind shift, and he made an approach to runway 13. He forgot to lower the landing gear and landed wheels up. According to a Raytheon Aircraft Company spokesman, the airplane is equipped with an audible landing gear warning system that activates whenever power is reduced below 12 inches of manifold pressure and the landing gear is still retracted. The pilot said he didn't know if his airplane was so equipped and, if it was, he did not hear the warning horn prior to touchdown.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot-in-command's failure to lower the landing gear prior to landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/7/2002
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Newcastle
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 82701
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Mondell Field
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ECS
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 4174
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) 67
Weather Observation Facility ID RAP
Elevation of weather observation facility 3202
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 55
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.9
Density Altitude (feet) 5041
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 12301
NTSB Notification Source Mr. Rhoades
NTSB Notification Date Jun 17 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 20 2002 10:08AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Denver, Colorado

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8735A
NTSB Number DEN02LA056
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model A35
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number D-2157
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 Jan 25 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 41
Airframe Hours 3456
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Randal W. Rhoades
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. Box 52
Aircraft Owner City Newcastle
Aircraft Owner State WY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 82701
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ECS
Departure City Newcastle
Departure State WY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code ECS
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Aug 29 2002 1:04PM
User who most recently changed record MCBM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 13
Runway Length 5300
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --