Amateur-built Barracuda accident near Monett, Missouri, May 5, 2006
On May 5, 2006, a amateur-built Barracuda, registered N91LB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monett, Missouri (Monett Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Rupture of the hydraulic hose and deformation of the hydraulic cylinder piston rods for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a failure of the landing gear extension system. Contributing factors were the pilot's premature shutdown of the engine on short final, the resulting inability to maintain a proper glidepath to the runway, and the unsuitable terrain adjacent to the runway resulting in collapse of the right main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 2006
- Place
- Monett, Missouri · Monett Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Barracuda
- Registration
- N91LB · no longer on the register · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was substantially damaged when the landing gear failed to extend properly and the pilot executed an emergency landing. The pilot reported he heard a "pop" and smelled hydraulic fluid during cruise flight. He attempted to lower the landing gear, however, only the right main gear extended properly. The nose gear and left main gear remained retracted. Use of the emergency landing gear extension system was not successful. The pilot set up for an emergency landing and elected to secure the engine while on short final. He stated that with the resulting loss of engine power, the airplane "dropped out of the sky" and subsequently landed short of the runway. The extended right main landing gear collapsed. A post accident inspection revealed that a hydraulic line on the firewall had ruptured. In addition, the piston rod within both the nose and left main landing gear extension cylinders was bent preventing free movement. The landing gear system utilized hydraulic pressure to raise and hold the gear in the retracted position. No up-locks were installed.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 486 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 466 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,198 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 1, 2005
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2H2 Aurora MO at 11:20 pm
- Destination: M58 Monett MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.