Beech E55 accident near St. Petersburg, Florida, March 13, 2019
On March 13, 2019 at about 8:17 pm local time, a 1970 Beech E55, registered N15VK, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near St. Petersburg, Florida (Albert Whitted airport). It was a personal 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's failure to extend the landing gear, which resulted in a gear-up landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 2019 · about 8:17 pm local time
- Place
- St. Petersburg, Florida · Albert Whitted · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E55 UNDESIGNAT, built 1970 · all E55s on the register
- Registration
- N15VK · no longer on the register · serial TE-805
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he became distracted and did not extend the landing gear before landing at the airport. The airplane slid on the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing's rear spar. Although the airplane was equipped with a gear warning horn, both the pilot and the passenger said the horn did not sound. The gear warning horn had been functionally checked during the last annual inspection and was also tested after the accident with no anomalies noted; thus, the investigation could not determine why the pilot and passenger were unable to hear the horn.
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 (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear position and warning › Inoperative
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,706 hours in all; 590 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 3,504 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 18, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,996.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental Motors IO-520-C7B (piston); 1,067 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental Motors IO-520-C7B (piston); 1,067 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAL Lakeland FL at 7:15 pm
- Destination: SPG St. Petersburg FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,864 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from SPG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on November 4, 2019. 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 | Pilot and Passenger Written Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | NTSB Summary of Emails - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Pages from Beech E55 Pilot Operating Handbook | PDF, 4 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.