Beech 65-80 accident near Mesa, Arizona, December 26, 1999
On December 26, 1999 at about 7:42 pm local time, a Beech 65-80, registered N184R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mesa, Arizona (Falcon Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The collapse of a main landing gear due to damage from a hard landing at an undetermined time.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 1999 · about 7:42 pm local time
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · Falcon Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 65-80 · all 65-80s on the register
- Registration
- N184R · registry record · serial DL-54
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following completion of an annual inspection, the pilot took off for a local area flight. The pilot performed one takeoff and landing. Then, during the landing gear retraction process on the next takeoff, the pilot observed a cockpit indication that the left main landing gear did not normally retract. No "up lock" light illuminated. In an effort at remedying the situation, the landing gear circuit breaker was pulled. Then, the hand pump was utilized to manually extend the gear. Following this effort, only two green landing gear position lights illuminated. The pilot stated he informed the control tower that he would be landing with an unsafe gear indication. After landing and rolling between 80 and 100 feet, the left main gear collapsed. As the airplane slid to a stop it veered into a taxi light and onto the dirt clearway. An FAA inspector examined the airplane and found the left gear's actuator shaft was broken in half, and the knuckle attachment bolts had been "pulled out" of the structure. No evidence of any preexisting defect or malfunction in the gear assembly was observed. The noted evidence was consistent with the airplane having been subjected to a hard landing. However, the date(s) for the occurrence could not be determined.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,462 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 1,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,451 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 21, 1999; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IGSO-540-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IWA Phoenix AZ at 7:32 pm
- Destination: FFZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4R, 5,102 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 151°F (66°C), dew point 97°F (36°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from PHX, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.