Beech BE-100 accident near Hickory, North Carolina, May 14, 1999
On May 14, 1999 at about 4:03 am local time, a Beech BE-100, registered N924RM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hickory, North Carolina (Hickory Regional Airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 landing gear actuator due to the improper installation of the lower thrust bearing by maintenance personnel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 1999 · about 4:03 am local time
- Place
- Hickory, North Carolina · Hickory Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-100
- Registration
- N924RM · no longer on the register · serial BE-063
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on approach, the pilot placed the landing-gear handle in the down position but the right main gear did not extend. All attempts to extend the right main gear failed. The pilot landed on the left main gear and the nose wheel. The right wing settled to the runway and the airplane veered off the right side of the runway and collided with a ditch. A post-accident inspection of the landing gear system by the FAA revealed that the right main gear drive shaft had been sheared, disabling the actuator. Examination of the actuator parts revealed that the ring gear was missing one tooth and the pinion gear, which meshes with the ring gear, had missing and damaged teeth. Examination of the upper and lower thrust bearings revealed that the lower thrust bearing had been installed in reverse. The type of damage the ring and pinion gears exhibited indicated that the gears were not meshing properly. A thrust bearing installed in reverse could create an interference condition between the gears.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,400 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,872 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 21, 1998; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,800 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-6-202 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RIC Richmond VA at 1:50 am
- Destination: HKY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 6, 6,400 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Observation at 4:02 am from HKY, 360 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.