Beech 95-B55 (T42A) accident near Englewood, Colorado, July 17, 2001
On July 17, 2001 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Beech 95-B55 (T42A), registered N886N, was destroyed in an accident near Englewood, Colorado (Centennial airport). It was an instructional 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 pilot receiving instruction inadvertently retracting the landing gear during the landing roll. A contributing factor was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the pilot receiving instruction.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 2001 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Centennial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-B55 (T42A) · all 95-B55 (T42A)s on the register
- Registration
- N886N · no longer on the register · serial TC-877
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilots were cleared to do a touch and go landing. The airplane touched down and slowed. The private pilot receiving instruction raised the flaps and, instead of advancing the throttles to go around as per company SOP, she raised the landing gear control switch, and the landing gear retracted. The airplane skidded to a halt and caught fire. Both occupants evacuated the airplane. The airplane is equipped with a squat switch that is designed to prevent inadvertent gear retraction when there is weight on the wheels. The switch later tested satisfactory.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 493 hours in all; 203 in this make and model; 204 in the last 90 days; 116 in the last 30 days; 400 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 14, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 117 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 65 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,443 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 16, 2001; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: APA Englewood at 2:30 pm
- Destination: APA Englewood CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17L, 10,002 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from APA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.