Beech 95-55 accident near Scottsbluff, Nebraska, February 15, 2001
On February 15, 2001 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Beech 95-55, registered N98PA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Scottsbluff, Nebraska (William B. Heilig Field). 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 checklist not followed and the wheels-up landing performed by the pilot. The runway light was a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 15, 2001 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Scottsbluff, Nebraska · William B. Heilig Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-55 · all 95-55s on the register
- Registration
- N98PA · registry record · serial TC-18
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane landed gear-up and impacted a runway light following a visual approach to the airport. The airplane was recovered with the landing gear in the retracted position. Postaccident testing of the landing gear warning system and gear position lights revealed no anomalies.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 611 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 15, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,598 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 25, 2000; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,880 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-L5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GXY Greeley CO at 6:00 pm
- Destination: BFF Scottsbluff NE
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 30, 8,279 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from BFF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.