Beech 95-A55 accident near Ardmore, Oklahoma, July 3, 1996
On July 3, 1996 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Beech 95-A55, registered N2992F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ardmore, Oklahoma (Ardmore Downtown 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 inadvertent premature retraction of the landing gear during takeoff roll. A factor was inadequate supervision by the safety pilot/flight instructor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1996 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Ardmore, Oklahoma · Ardmore Downtown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-A55 · all 95-A55s on the register
- Registration
- N2992F · no longer on the register · serial TC-500
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had purchased a 50-hour block of flight time in the airplane. His flight instructor agreed to fly as a safety pilot, with the pilot as PIC in order to meet insurance requirements. The pilot was performing the takeoff, while the instructor called out airspeeds and directed his attention inside and outside the cockpit. Passing 80 mph, the instructor maintained his vision outside the cockpit. The pilot felt the airplane 'hit a few dips in the runway' and both pilots heard a 'loud bang' from the right side and the flight instructor took command of the flight. Control was lost and the airplane veered left, crossed a taxiway and skidded into a ditch, where the airplane stopped. The instructor reported that the pilot's hand was on the throttles during the takeoff roll; however, once the 80 mph airspeed callout was made, he was not aware of the position of the pilot's hand. The pilot recalled having moved his hand to the trim; however, he 'did not remember touching the gear' selector switch. The operator and an FAA inspector examined the site and the aircraft landing gear system. They reported that damage to the gear doors was consistent with closed gear doors.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 336 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 59 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 208 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,385 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 22, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 4,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1F0 at 10:45 pm
- Destination: DTO Denton TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:48 pm from ADM, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.