Beech 95-B55 (T42A) accident near Westfield, Massachusetts, December 29, 2020
On December 29, 2020 at about 4:50 pm local time, a 1973 Beech 95-B55 (T42A), registered N916MT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Westfield, Massachusetts (Westfield-Barnes Rgnl). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing and his failure to confirm that the landing gear was extended before landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 29, 2020 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Westfield, Massachusetts · Westfield-Barnes Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-B55 (T42A), built 1973 · all 95-B55 (T42A)s on the register
- Registration
- N916MT · registry record · serial TC-1623
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the twin-engine airplane was landing in gusty wind conditions and thought that he had extended the landing gear. As he began to flare, he felt a bump and attributed it to the wind. The pilot then pitched the nose of the airplane up and quickly put his hand on the landing gear lever to confirm that the landing gear was down. The airplane began to roll to the right, so he returned his hand to the throttles to reduce power on the right engine, and the airplane impacted the ground on the left wing and nose. The belly of the airplane then hit the ground and the airplane slid upright before coming to a stop, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. Airport surveillance video captured the airplane as it began to flare over the runway with the landing gear retracted. The airplane then pitched up and the landing gear was observed extending while the airplane was just a few feet above the runway. The left-wing then dropped and impacted the ground followed by the nose and fuselage. The pilot said, “By all accounts, I did not lower the landing gear.” However, he did not recall extending the gear after the airplane pitched up during the flare. He said he may have partially extended the gear on downwind because he never confirmed that the “green” gear-down lights were illuminated. The pilot said he normally announces the pre-landing checklist out loud but did not do it on this flight. Due to the gusty wind conditions, he landed with partial flaps, higher airspeed, and power setting. As a result, this configuration did not trigger the landing gear warning 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 (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,564.7 hours in all; 168.2 in this make and model; 21.7 in the last 90 days; 7.3 in the last 30 days; 2,490 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2020
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,145.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 19, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor I0-470L21 (piston); 1,333 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor I0-470L24 (piston); 1,333 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VSF Springfield VT at 4:20 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 33, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 19 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.36 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KBAF
Weather report (METAR): KBAF 291953Z 30019G29KT 10SM BKN070 00/M14 A3036 RMK AO2 PK WND 32038/1905 SLP288 T00001144
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA21LA093.