Beech B55 accident near Joliet, Illinois, September 23, 1992
On September 23, 1992 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Beech B55, registered N557T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Joliet, Illinois (Joliet Park District airport). It was a personal 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 PILOT'S INADVERTENT WHEELS UP LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 1992 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Joliet, Illinois · Joliet Park District · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B55 · all B55s on the register
- Registration
- N557T · no longer on the register · serial 620
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED HE PLACED THE LANDING GEAR SELECTOR IN THE DOWN POSITION WHILE ON APPROACH TO LAND AND RECEIVED A GREEN LIGHT. HE DID NOT RECALL HEARING A GEAR WARNING HORN OR A CHANGE IN AIRFLOW, OR FEELING A PITCH CHANGE, AFTER PLACING THE SELECTOR DOWN. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED WHEELS UP AND CAUGHT FIRE AFTER COMING TO A STOP ON THE ASPHALT RUNWAY. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE LANDING GEAR AND ITS SYSTEMS DISCOVERED NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES THAT WOULD HAVE PRECLUDED NORMAL OPERATION.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,285 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 10, 1992; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: J. F. Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,970 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.