Beech 1900D incident near Rochester, New York, June 3, 2000
On June 3, 2000 at about 7:57 pm local time, a Beech 1900D, registered N853CA, suffered minor damage in an incident near Rochester, New York (Gtr. Rochester Int. Apt. airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 13 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The reversal of landing gear hydraulic lines by company maintenance personnel. Factors related to the incident were the manufacturers omission of maintenance procedures, and the failure of an electrical switch for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 2000 · about 7:57 pm local time
- Place
- Rochester, New York · Gtr. Rochester Int. Apt. · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 13 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 1900D · all 1900Ds on the register
- Registration
- N853CA · no longer on the register · serial UE-56
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
When the landing gear handle was selected to the down position in preparation for landing, the landing gear would not extend electrically. The flightcrew executed an abnormal checklist, which included utilizing a mechanical hydraulic pump; however, the landing gear remained retracted. The flightcrew elected to land the airplane with the gear retracted. Examination of the landing gear system revealed that maintenance personnel had improperly installed the landing gear service valve 6 days prior, by reversing two hydraulic lines. Reasons for the electrical malfunction of the landing gear service valve could not be determined. The airplane's maintenance manual did not refer to the cycling of the landing gear, mechanically or electrically, after replacement of the landing gear service valve.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,670 hours in all; 1,202 in this make and model; 270 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 1,480 as pilot in command; 936 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,684 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 29, 2000; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 16,950 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT-67D (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IAD Dulles VA at 5:20 pm
- Destination: ROC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 4, 6,300 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 147°F (64°C), dew point 99°F (37°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from ROC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 11 |
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.