Ratheon Aircraft Company A36 accident near Hilton Head, South Carolina, May 28, 2019
On May 28, 2019 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1998 Ratheon Aircraft Company A36, registered N998LS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Hilton Head, South Carolina (Hilton Head 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 failure to extend the landing gear before landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to complete the before landing checklist.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 2019 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hilton Head, South Carolina · Hilton Head · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ratheon Aircraft Company A36, built 1998
- Registration
- N998LS · registry record · serial E-3204
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during an instrument flight rules approach, he failed to extend the landing gear, and the airplane landed on the runway with the landing gear retracted. The pilot added that the accident could have been prevented by "paying much closer attention to the checklists." The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with 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
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 600 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 31, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,083.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 5, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 3,651 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550 (piston); 400 hours total
- Operator: F & S Aviation Llc
The flight
- Departed from: AVL Asheville NC at 4:30 pm
- Destination: HXD Hilton Head SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 03, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from KHXD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 4, 2019. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.