Beech A36 accident near Charleston, Missouri, March 20, 2009
On March 20, 2009 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N451S, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Charleston, Missouri (Mississippi County airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's inadvertent use of the landing gear selector handle instead of the flap handle during landing rollout, which resulted in the collapse of the nose landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 2009 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Charleston, Missouri · Mississippi County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N451S · registry record · serial E1200
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he had landed uneventfully at the conclusion of a local flight. However, during the landing rollout the pilot stated that he mistakenly selected the landing gear handle instead of the flap handle. As a result, the nose landing gear collapsed, damaging the nose gear support fittings and nose gear assembly. The pilot noted that there were no failures or malfunctions associated with the airplane prior to the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear selector › Unintentional use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,846 hours in all; 405 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,800 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 15, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,794 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Morley Tower CO
The flight
- Departed from: CHQ Charleston MO at 6:00 pm
- Destination: CHQ Charleston MO
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 36, 3,196 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.