Beech 58 accident near Allentown, Pennsylvania, October 12, 2002
On October 12, 2002 at about 1:50 pm local time, a Beech 58, registered N8199R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Allentown, Pennsylvania (Lehigh Valley International airport). 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 inadvertent retraction of the landing gear on the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 12, 2002 · about 1:50 pm local time
- Place
- Allentown, Pennsylvania · Lehigh Valley International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N8199R · no longer on the register · serial TH530
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon touching down on the runway, during the rollout, the pilot attempted to raise the flaps; however, he mistakenly raised the landing gear handle. The landing gear retracted and the airplane slid to a stop on the runway.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,800 hours in all; 525 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 3,636 as pilot in command; 72 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 30, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,390 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 28, 2001; 150 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ABE Allentown PA at 1:00 pm
- Destination: ABE Allentown PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 06, 7,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; a few clouds at 1,300 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from ABE
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.