Beech E-55 accident near Greenville, South Carolina, April 24, 2024
On April 24, 2024 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1976 Beech E-55, registered N333HE, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Greenville, South Carolina (Donaldson Fld airport). It was a business 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 extend the landing gear before landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 24, 2024 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Greenville, South Carolina · Donaldson Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E-55, built 1976 · all E-55s on the register
- Registration
- N333HE · no longer on the register · serial TE-1068
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After an instrument flight rules cross-country flight, the pilot received multiple radar vectors from air traffic control for traffic and after mis-identifying the destination airport for a visual approach. He then had difficulty identifying the runway while looking toward the setting sun and setting up the GPS to identify a 2-mile final approach to the runway. On final approach, he was paying close attention to departing traffic on the landing runway and stated that he configured the airplane for landing but neglected to lower the landing gear. He heard the landing gear position warning horn and realized that he had forgotten to extend the landing gear when the airplane settled onto the runway. The airplane skidded down the asphalt, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear position and warning › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 961 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 890 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 20, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,285 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-520 series (piston); 1,576 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-520 series (piston); 311 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRI Kingsport TN at 8:13 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from GYH
Weather report (METAR): KGYH 242200Z 25013KT 10SM BKN055 22/11 A3002 RMK ACFT INCIDENT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on June 21, 2024. 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 | Photos | PDF, 8 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.