Thursday, March 21, 2019

Landing Gear Collapse: Beech A100 King Air, N945WS; accident occurred March 12, 2019 at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport (KLBE), Latrobe, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Allegheny, Pennsylvania

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

https://registry.faa.gov/N945WS

Location: Latrobe, PA
Accident Number: ERA19LA123
Date & Time: 03/12/2019, 1335 EDT
Registration: N945WS
Aircraft: Beech A100
Injuries: 4 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Business 

On March 12, 2019, about 1335 eastern daylight time, a Beech A100, N945WS, was substantially damaged when the main landing gear collapsed during landing at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport (LBE), Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The two airline transport pilots and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight that originated from Capital City Airport (CXY), Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and was destined for Rostraver Airport (FWQ), Monongahela, Pennsylvania. The business flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to the pilot, the airplane was on approach to FWQ when he lowered the landing gear handle and heard a crunching noise. He noticed there were no green cockpit indicator lights to confirm that the landing gear was down and locked. The pilot then asked the co-pilot to circle the airport while he looked up the emergency procedures for extending the landing gear in the airplane flight manual. He tried to extend the landing gear manually, but it appeared to be jammed. The pilot and co-pilot discussed the situation and decided to fly to Arnold Palmer Regional Airport (LBE), Latrobe, Pennsylvania since the airport had a control tower and emergency equipment. The pilot flew by the tower and asked if tower personnel could see the landing gear down. The tower controller told him that the landing gear appeared to be down. During the subsequent landing roll , the left main landing gear collapsed, followed shortly by the right main landing gear. The airplane then slid to a stop on the centerline of the runway and the flight crew and passengers egressed the airplane.

Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the main landing gear mechanical linkage was compromised, and the right main landing gear actuator shaft was broken. The actuator was retained for further examination.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Beech
Registration: N945WS
Model/Series: A100 UNDESIGNATED
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: Golden Wings Aviation Inc
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KLBE, 1199 ft msl
Observation Time: 1747 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 4°C / -7°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 10 knots / , 240°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  20 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.34 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Departure Point: Harrisburg, PA (CXY)
Destination: Latrobe, PA (LBE) 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 2 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 4 None
Latitude, Longitude:  40.273056, -79.408333 (est)

1 comment:

  1. I fly out of KLBE and the local newspaper showed a photo of the plane still on the runway somewhere between Delta & Echo. The nose gear was fully extended but the mains were collapsed. I heard there was no prop strikes, just damage to the aft fuselage.

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