Beech 55 accident near Nashville, Tennessee, July 20, 1999
On July 20, 1999 at about 4:28 pm local time, a Beech 55, registered N56AW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nashville, Tennessee (Nashville International 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 total failure of the nose gear extension and retraction assembly that resulted in the collapse of the nose gear during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 1999 · about 4:28 pm local time
- Place
- Nashville, Tennessee · Nashville International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 55
- Registration
- N56AW · no longer on the register · serial TC-110
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the multi-engine training flight was cleared for a landing on runway 20C. The pilot reported that the before landing checklist was completed, and the landing gear extension was verified by both pilots. The landing on the main wheels, was described as normal, but when the nose wheel was lowered on the runway, both pilots heard a 'pop' followed by the collapse of the nose wheel assembly. The airplane slid 2500 feet before stopping on the runway. The post-accident examination of the airplane disclosed that the nose landing gear aft drag brace had broken. Maintenance history of the failed component was not available.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BNA at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20C, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 250 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from BNA
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.