Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sevierville, Tennessee 37862
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 15:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that the intent of the flight was to conduct touch-and-go landings in the twin-engine, retractable-gear airplane. He stated that he made a "textbook" first landing, and that during the landing rollout he attempted to raise the wing flaps for takeoff. The pilot "mistook the gear lever for the flaps" and the landing gear began to retract. He added power to "overcome the sinking," but the right propeller struck the ground and the airplane "spun to the right." The airplane came to rest upright in a grassy area between the runway and taxiway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported 50 hours of flight time in the accident airplane and flew it "every couple of weeks." The pilot's most recent experience in the accident airplane make and model was 30 days prior to the accident. The airplane's landing gear and flap control levers were the same color and approximately the same size, but were located on opposite sides of the control column.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadvertent retraction of the landing gear on the ground during a touch-and-go landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/31/2010
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Sevierville
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37862
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 355116N
Event Location Longitude 0833126W
Event Location Airport Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GKT
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 1014
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1353 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 89
Weather Observation Facility ID TYS
Elevation of weather observation facility 981
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 28
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.04
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 27037
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 10 2010 8:48PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N43BS
NTSB Number ERA10CA201
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 95-B55 (T42A)
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number TC-1358
Certified Max Gross Weight 5100
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 13 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3019
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name 43BS LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19808-1645
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name 43BS LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City WILMINGTON
Operator State DE
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 19808-1645
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code GKT
Departure City Sevierville
Departure State TN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code GKT
Destination City Sevierville
Destination State TN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 10 2010 8:48PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 28
Runway Length 5506
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --