Beech C24R accident near Sacramento, California, April 29, 2006
On April 29, 2006 at about 8:09 pm local time, a Beech C24R, registered N2074P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sacramento, California (Mcclellan Airfield). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to complete and verify the prelanding checklist and extend the landing gear, which resulted in a gear up landing. A contributing factor was the pilot's diverted attention during the approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 2006 · about 8:09 pm local time
- Place
- Sacramento, California · Mcclellan Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C24R · all C24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N2074P · no longer on the register · serial MC608
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed the airplane with the landing gear retracted. The pilot entered the traffic pattern at his destination airport and heard a transmission from an airplane that was making an intersection takeoff. He looked down and noted the location of the airplane. When he looked back into the cockpit he saw that the airspeed was in the flap operating range, and lowered the flaps to 15 degrees. During final approach he did not retard the throttle to idle and so the landing gear warning horn did not sound. He proceeded with the landing and did not realize that the landing gear was not extended until the propeller struck the runway. The pilot stated that while looking for the departing airplane he had become distracted, did not use his checklist, and forgot to lower the landing gear. He further reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions noted with airplane or engine.
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
- Flight time: 684 hours in all; 134 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 524 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAC Sacramento CA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: MCC Sacramento CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 10,600 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from SMF, 10 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N2074P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.