Beech 58 accident near Grand Rapids, Michigan, March 15, 1995
On March 15, 1995 at about 3:45 am local time, a Beech 58, registered N930DP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Rapids, Michigan (Kent County International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 failure of the landing gear bushing for the actuator worm gear which resulted in both the normal and emergency gear extension systems being inoperative.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 1995 · about 3:45 am local time
- Place
- Grand Rapids, Michigan · Kent County International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N930DP · no longer on the register · serial TH-729
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE HEARD A 'SNAP' AT THE END OF THE GEAR RETRACTION SEQUENCE AFTER TAKING OFF. HE STATED ALL GEAR LIGHTS INDICATED THAT THE GEAR WAS STOWED PROPERLY. AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR. HE THEN ATTEMPTED TO EXTEND THE GEAR MANUALLY, BUT THERE WAS NO TENSION ON THE HANDCRANK. UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, THE PILOT LANDED GEAR UP. A POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE LANDING GEAR REVEALED A BUSHING (P/N 35- 810077-3) FOR THE ACTUATOR WORM GEAR HAD FRACTURED.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,133 hours in all; 2,281 in this make and model; 123 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 4,027 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,081 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-C/-CB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JXN Jackson MI
- Destination: GRR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 am from GRR
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.