Beech 55
Sebring, FL — September 13, 2019
Event Information
| Date | September 13, 2019 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | ERA19CA291 |
| Event ID | 20200212X20909 |
| Location | Sebring, FL |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 27.45639, -81.34250 |
| Airport | Sebring Rgnl |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | Beech |
| Model | 55 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DUSK |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 2 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The passenger’s inadvertent retraction of the landing gear during the landing roll without being instructed to do so by the pilot.
Full Narrative
The pilot of the retractable landing gear-equipped airplane reported that, shortly after landing the passenger, without his permission or guidance retracted the landing gear. The landing gear retracted, airplane impacted the runway and slid about 600 ft before coming to rest on the runway.
The pilot rated passenger reported that, without the pilot's guidance, he mistakenly raised the gear handle then quickly lowered it again, thinking it was the flap handle. He was attempting to assist the pilot.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the center wing spar.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.