Beech BE-95 accident near San Antonio, Texas, April 7, 1997
On April 7, 1997 at about 6:08 pm local time, a Beech BE-95, registered N2702Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Antonio, Texas (San Antonio International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 right main gear due to improper repair by the company maintenance personnel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1997 · about 6:08 pm local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · San Antonio International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-95
- Registration
- N2702Y · no longer on the register · serial TD-34
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the final approach for the runway, the right main landing gear did not extend. The pilot initiated a go-around and performed the emergency procedure for gear extension; however, the right main gear still did not extend. During the subsequent emergency landing roll, the left main gear and the nose gear collapsed and the airplane departed the runway. A maintenance record entry stated that the right main landing gear uplock cable assembly, P/N 35-815109, was installed, connected, lubed, and safety wired, in February 1997 (tachometer time 531.0 hours, total airframe time 5,431.3 hours). The aircraft was then jacked and the gear swung to verify correct operation of [the] uplock cable and aircraft step and 'all [was] found to be operating normally.' Following the accident, examination of the airplane revealed that the uplock assembly mechanism was jammed. The bolt which secures the release lanyard to the uplock mechanism had been installed in reverse. The nut on the bolt was on the aft side of the uplock attach point which caused interference between the nut and a metal guide shelf on the airframe. The interference was sufficient to jam the uplock in the locked position.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 369 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 304 as pilot in command; 29 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 11, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 52F Fort Worth TX at 3:43 pm
- Destination: SAT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12L, 5,519 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.