Beech K35 accident near Port Townsend, Washington, November 14, 2008
On November 14, 2008 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Beech K35, registered N411B, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Port Townsend, Washington (Jefferson Co. Internat'L A/P airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to lower the landing gear prior to landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to use a checklist and the distraction caused by the discussion with the passenger.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 2008 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Port Townsend, Washington · Jefferson Co. Internat'L A/P · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech K35 · all K35s on the register
- Registration
- N411B · registry record · serial D-5960
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot decided to make a straight-in visual-flight-rules approach to the destination airport after a flight of less than 10 minutes from his point of departure. There was departing traffic at the non-controlled destination airport and the pilot said that he became distracted while discussing that traffic with his passenger. The pilot, who said he normally makes sure that the gear is down while on downwind, did not use a checklist and failed to lower the gear prior to landing. The subsequent contact with the runway surface resulted in damage to a fuselage bulkhead.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear selector › Not used/operated
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 15,150 hours in all; 550 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: September 23, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors IO-470-SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W28 Sequim WA at 8:52 pm
- Destination: 0S9 Port Townsend WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.