Beech 35-C33 accident near Wilmington, North Carolina, July 19, 2015
On July 19, 2015 at about 2:30 pm local time, a 1964 Beech 35-C33, registered N829T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Wilmington, North Carolina (Wilmington Intl 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 ensure that the landing gear was in the down and locked position before touchdown, which resulted in a landing with the gear in transit.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 2015 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wilmington, North Carolina · Wilmington Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35-C33, built 1964 · all 35-C33s on the register
- Registration
- N829T · registry record · serial CD-821
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was conducting a short personal flight. According to the pilot, after takeoff, he began receiving faulty airspeed indications and requested an expedited landing from air traffic control because the airplane "did not feel right." The pilot reported that he kept the landing gear fully extended. He also reported completing the before landing checklist and stated that, during the touchdown, the landing gear "collapsed." Postaccident examination of photographs of the airplane found that the main landing gear was partially extended and that the nose landing gear had collapsed. Postaccident examination of the landing gear system revealed that the main landing gear inner doors were in the open position and had been damaged by contact with the runway surface. Scrubbing was found on the sides of the main tires. The nose landing gear was in its wheel well, and the actuating rod was bent, indicating that the nose gear was not fully locked down when it contacted the pavement. The landing gear system circuit breaker was found tripped, which was likely the result of an electrical overload caused by the landing gear extension being physically impeded. There was no evidence of a preimpact malfunction, and a mechanic was able to manually extend the landing gear. Thus, the evidence was consistent with an attempted landing with the landing gear in transit rather than fully extended.
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
- Landing gear not configured during landing defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
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 › (general) › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 7,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,181 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2015; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,053 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 3,181 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 03NC Carolina Beach NC at 2:20 pm
- Destination: ILM Wilmington NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 8,016 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from ILM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on October 16, 2018. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Correspondence with Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Witness Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Wilmington Airport Alert Report | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Beechcraft Pilot Operating Handbook Excerpts | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Record of Conversation - Wreckage Examination | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 9 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.