Beech A36TC accident near Pasco, Washington, October 29, 1999
On October 29, 1999 at about 1:05 pm local time, a Beech A36TC, registered N3822K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pasco, Washington (Pasco Tri-Cities 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 failure to extend the landing gear. Factors include a blocked view of the landing gear light indicating system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 1999 · about 1:05 pm local time
- Place
- Pasco, Washington · Pasco Tri-Cities · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36TC · all A36TCs on the register
- Registration
- N3822K · registry record · serial EA192
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot elected to remain in the traffic pattern to conduct a series of touch-and-go landings. On the third landing attempt, the controller informed the pilot that he would call the pilot's base turn due to other departing traffic. According to the pilot, after clearance was given to land on runway 21R, 'I turned final, put the flaps full down and forgot to put the gear down.' The pilot stated that he did not hear the aural gear warning horn sound. The pilot also stated that he had recently installed a portable GPS receiver that is mounted to the aircraft's control column. According to the pilot, 'It blocks out the area where the green lights show for the gear down.'
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,360 hours in all; 2,088 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,862 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,695 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 1999; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,660 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-UB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PSC at 12:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21R, 7,700 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from PSC
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.