Midland International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Midland, Texas 79711
Thursday, July 17, 2008 9:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot elected to return to the airport following the display of an unsafe landing gear light. Following a flyby and visual check by the airport's control tower, the pilot proceeded to land. During touchdown the main landing gear collapsed and the airplane's belly sustained structural damage. An examination of the landing gear revealed that the failure was due to sound proofing material being caught in the landing gear retraction/extension mechanism.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the landing gear retraction/extension mechanism due to it being jammed by displaced sound proofing material.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/17/2008
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Midland
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79711
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 315633N
Event Location Longitude 1021207W
Event Location Airport MIDLAND INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MAF
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 24259
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 18 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 26 2008 6:40PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Lubbock, TX

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6AQ
NTSB Number DFW08CA194
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model 65-A80
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number LD-214
Certified Max Gross Weight 8800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 9429
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name James Nyerges
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Midland
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79711
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Western Air Express Inc
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 WX5A
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code MAF
Departure City Midland
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code E38
Destination City ALPINE
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 5 2008 3:23PM
User who most recently changed record GAMW
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 10
Runway Length 8302
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --