Beech 33 accident near Redmond, Oregon, July 6, 2020
On July 6, 2020 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1973 Beech 33, registered N727P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Redmond, Oregon (Roberts Field). It was an instructional 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 left seated flight instructor’s improper manipulation of the landing gear position selection lever to the up position while still on the landing roll, which ultimately resulted in a landing gear collapse during a subsequent landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 2020 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Redmond, Oregon · Roberts Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 33 F33A, built 1973
- Registration
- N727P · registry record · serial CE-425
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The purpose of the flight was for both flight instructors to perform a proficiency flight with one another. After performing maneuvers in the practice area, they returned to the departure airport to conduct touch-and-go practice takeoffs and landings. After the right-seated flight instructor made two landings, the left-seated flight instructor conducted the landing. After touchdown, while the airplane was in the landing roll, the left-seated flight instructor manipulated the landing gear position selection lever to the "up" position instead of the flap lever. Both instructors realized the mistake and attempted to move the gear lever back to the "down" position, but the left landing gear had already collapsed. The landing gear continued to retract, and they became airborne. After performing troubleshooting of the landing gear and performing a flyby, they decided to land at another airport with more facilities. The right-seated flight instructor performed the landing at the alternate airport and the airplane rolled on all three landing gear for about 1,000 ft. The left landing gear then collapsed and the airplane veered off the runway. The left aileron sustained damage as a result of the gear collapse. The left-seated flight instructor reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,477 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 1,412 as pilot in command; 770 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 18, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,202 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 1,115 as pilot in command; 795 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 19, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,448 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 6, 2020; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB10B (piston); 2,556 hours total
- Operator: Leading Edge Aviation Inc
The flight
- Departed from: RDM Redmond OR at 4:30 pm
- Destination: RDM Redmond OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 7,006 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 5:14 pm from KRDM, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 10, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pictures of Damage | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.