Beech 35 accident near Liberty, Missouri, May 13, 1997
On May 13, 1997 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Beech 35, registered N144GM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Liberty, Missouri (Liberty Roosterville 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
retraction of the nose gear for undetermined reason(s).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 13, 1997 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Liberty, Missouri · Liberty Roosterville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N144GM · registry record · serial D7010
- 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 the taxi out and run up were normal before the planned departure. He said that at approximately 65 miles per hour, he heard a loud bang, which was followed by oil on the airplane's windshield and the nose gear collapsing. The pilot reported that he was sure the landing gear selector was in the down position before he attempted to takeoff, and that the manual indicator near the nose wheel area was in agreement with the selector switch.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,222 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 79 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 8,200 as pilot in command; 5,306 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,390 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 12, 1997; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,125 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-N1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MO10
- Destination: MO10
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,780 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from MCI, 15 miles away
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.