Beech 95 accident near Millbrook, New York, February 20, 1995
On February 20, 1995 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Beech 95, registered N8226D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Millbrook, New York (Sky Acres airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to manually extend the landing gear which resulted in the landing gear collapsing. A factor was the intermittent loss of electrical power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 1995 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Millbrook, New York · Sky Acres · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95 · all 95s on the register
- Registration
- N8226D · no longer on the register · serial 95TD26
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED AFTER TAKEOFF THERE WAS AN INTERMITTENT LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER. HE DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. HE LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR ELECTRICALLY AND OBSERVED THE DOWN AND LOCKED LIGHT ILLUMINATE, FOLLOWED BY A COMPLETE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER. THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO RESTORE ELECTRICAL POWER WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) STATED, THE NOSE AND RIGHT MAIN GEAR WERE FOUND IN THE PARTIALLY EXTENDED POSITION. DURING THE POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION, TOTAL LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. ADDITIONALLY, THE FIELD COIL OF THE LEFT VOLTAGE REGULATOR HAD A BURNED ODOR, AND THE LEFT GENERATOR CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS TRIPPED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOTS OPERATING HANDBOOK IN THE UNUSUAL OPERATING CONDITIONS: 'LANDING GEAR EMERGENCY EXTENSION: THE LANDING GEAR HANDCRANK WILL LOWER THE GEAR MANUALLY IF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILS OR IF YOU WISH TO DO SO FOR SOME OTHER REASON.'
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 305 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 216 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,704 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 26, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aircraft Sales CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: 44N at 7:10 pm
- Destination: FRG Farmingdale NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,879 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.