Beech D95 accident near Jacksonville, Florida, April 23, 2015
On April 23, 2015 at about 8:16 pm local time, a 1965 Beech D95, registered N8950U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Jacksonville, Florida (Jacksonville Executive At Crai 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
The pilot's failure to properly configure the airplane for landing. Contributing to the accident were pilot fatigue, distraction, and complacency and the failure of the landing gear warning horn to sound for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 2015 · about 8:16 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Jacksonville Executive At Crai · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D95 A, built 1965 · all D95s on the register
- Registration
- N8950U · registry record · serial TD-641
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot/owner reported that an air traffic controller vectored the airplane for the final approach for landing after the cross-country flight. The pilot noted that he performed the Before Landing checklist by rote and inadvertently positioned the flap handle believing that it was the landing gear handle. He added that he heard an electric motor actuate and that the airplane's speed and handling responded in a familiar fashion, so he continued the landing approach. The airplane subsequently landed with the landing gear retracted, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. The pilot reported that he did not confirm that the three green landing gear lights on the instrument panel had illuminated before landing but that the landing gear warning horn did not sound. The pilot also reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. After recovery, the airplane was placed on jacks, and the landing gear was extended and retracted with no anomalies noted. The airplane was then configured for landing, and the throttles were reduced to the idle-power position. Once configured, the landing gear warning horn did not sound as prescribed. Troubleshooting of the gear warning horn could not be performed; therefore, the cause of the horn malfunction could not be determined. The pilot reported that he experienced lengthy delays earlier in his trip, which lengthened his duty day and resulted in fatigue. The pilot stated that fatigue, distractions, and complacency could have been mitigated by a "strict adherence to the checklist and visual verification of gear status."
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear selector › Not used/operated
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- factor Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear position and warning › Failure
- factor Personnel issues › Physical › Alertness/Fatigue › Fatigue due to work schedule › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › (general) › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Personality/attitude › Complacency › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 864 hours in all; 199 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 790 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 10, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,301 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 4, 2015; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-360-B1B (piston); 4,320 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-360-B1B (piston); 4,320 hours total
- Operator: B G E Enterprises LLC
The flight
- Departed from: HRO Harrison AR at 4:27 pm
- Destination: CRG Jacksonville FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 4,008 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 8:19 pm from CRG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on January 11, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Police Report Extract | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum for Record - Maintenance Supervisor | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photos (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.