Beech K35 accident near Readington, New Jersey, July 30, 2021
On July 30, 2021 at about 2:40 pm local time, a 1959 Beech K35, registered N44DB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Readington, New Jersey (Solberg-Hunterdon 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 failure of the forward end of the landing gear actuator rod.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 2021 · about 2:40 pm local time
- Place
- Readington, New Jersey · Solberg-Hunterdon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech K35, built 1959 · all K35s on the register
- Registration
- N44DB · registry record · serial D-6074
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the base leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot lowered the landing gear and the green landing gear indicator light illuminated. During the subsequent landing, the main gear touched down, and “the nose came down like normal but kept going down with a sudden bang.” The airplane slid off the runway, came to rest in the grass, and sustained substantial damage to the forward lower fuselage. Examination of the airplane revealed that forward end of the landing gear actuator rod was fractured. The failure resulted in insufficient tension to keep the over-center down lock assembly in place.
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 collapse during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,429 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,263 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 29, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,472 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2021; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470N (piston); 2,014 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JNX Smithfield NC at 12:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,598 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from SMQ, 4 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KSMQ 301453Z AUTO 32007KT 9SM FEW041 26/17 A2981 RMK AO2 SLP093 T02560172 51012=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on May 4, 2022. 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, 13 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Log Excerpts | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 5 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.