Beech A-36 accident near West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, August 1, 2002
On August 1, 2002, a Beech A-36, registered N3869Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Mifflin, Pennsylvania (Allegheny County 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 failure of the alternator. A factor was the pilot's inability to manually extend the landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 2002
- Place
- West Mifflin, Pennsylvania · Allegheny County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A-36 · all A-36s on the register
- Registration
- N3869Z · no longer on the register · serial E-1788
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that immediately after takeoff, he lost the use of the radios and other electrical equipment. The red landing gear position light remained dimly illuminated, which indicated that the landing gear was neither securely stowed or in the down and locked position. The red alternator-out warning light was also illuminated, and the ammeter registered a discharge. The pilot contacted a 911 dispatcher on his cell phone, reported his landing intentions and proceeded toward the airport. He attempted to manually extend the landing gear with the emergency landing gear extension hand crank located behind his seat, but was unable to engage the hand crank handle. Once at the airport, the pilot flew by the control tower and a controller confirmed that the landing gear were not fully extended. The pilot then flew several traffic pattern circuits before landing on a grassy area next to a runway. Upon touchdown, the airplane continued on a straight path until it collided with a runway marker, veered left, and stopped. Examination of the alternator revealed an open rotor circuit between the F1 and F2 terminals. In addition, alternator disassembly revealed an open rotor between the rotor and slip rings. According to the airplane's pilot operating handbook, an inoperative alternator would have placed the entire electrical system operation of the airplane except engine ignition on the battery, and would have been indicated by the illumination of the ALT OUT warning light and a discharge on the ammeter.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,846 hours in all; 1,134 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 1,337 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 14, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,398 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 27, 2002; 3.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LBE Latrobe PA
- Destination: AGC West Mifflin PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 1,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.