Beech 55 accident near Jacksonville, Florida, August 25, 2001
On August 25, 2001 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Beech 55, registered N521U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida (Mayport Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the left landing gear extention rod for undetermined reasons that resulted in a landing with the gear retracted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 2001 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Mayport Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 55
- Registration
- N521U · no longer on the register · serial TE-85
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot completed the landing check and verified that the landing gear cockpit indicators light showed that the landing gear was down and locked position. The pilot continued the approach and the airplane touched down with the left wheel retracted. The subsequent examination of the airplane revealed that the left main landing gear extension rod was bent. The landing gear extension rod was replaced, and a successful functional check of the landing gear system was accomplished. According to the flying club assistant chief pilot, this airplane was used for training, and the origin of the extension rod deformation was not determined. Additionally, the pilot had no means of verifying when the main and nose gear assemblies are in the extended and locked positions.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,358 hours in all; 97 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: May 4, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,100 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,109 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 4,880 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NRB Jacksonville at 6:05 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 050, 8,004 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from JAX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.