Beech 200 accident near Eugene, Oregon, November 28, 2021
On November 28, 2021 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 1980 Beech 200, registered N71VT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Eugene, Oregon (Mahlon Sweet Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper checklist use, which resulted in an electrical malfunction and subsequent gear up landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 28, 2021 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Eugene, Oregon · Mahlon Sweet Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 200, built 1980 · all 200s on the register
- Registration
- N71VT · registry record · serial BB-709
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the multi-engine, retractable landing gear airplane reported that, shortly after departure, the airplane had several electrical malfunctions. Despite multiple trouble shooting attempts the electrical malfunctions persisted and he elected to return to the departure airport. While on final approach to land, he lowered the landing gear lever, but the landing gear did not extend. He then tried to extend the landing gear utilizing the emergency gear extension procedure to no avail and elected to land the airplane with the landing gear retracted. The pilot further reported that, he could have missed a checklist item that led to the loss of electrical power. Additionally, he did recall that he did not monitor the electrical load meter during the accident flight and did not notice if the battery ran down. The pilot reported there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that could have precluded normal operation. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that, the fuselage aft of the nose landing gear was substantially damaged. A subsequent examination of the landing gear and electrical systems revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane’s 28-volt battery was disconnected, removed and when tested, it showed 20-volts in a discharged state. A fully charged 28-volt battery was substituted for a ground check of the airplane’s systems, which included the instrument panel with no anomalies revealed.
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
- Electrical system malf/failure during enroute
- Landing gear not configured during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Electrical power system › Alternator › generator drive sys › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 24,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 2, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,232 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 1, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PT-6A-41 (turboshaft); 7,958 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PT-6A-41 (turboprop); 8,238 hours total
- Operator: Western Wings Corp
The flight
- Departed from: KEUG Eugene OR at 10:30 pm
- Destination: KRBG Roseburg OR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16R, 8,009 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 30,000 ft; a few clouds at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.24 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from KEUG, 5 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KEUG 290054Z 19004KT 10SM FEW020 SCT180 BKN300 12/09 A3024 RMK AO2 SLP240 T01220089=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on March 18, 2022. 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 | Record of Email Correspondence | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation (Duty Officer) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo | 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.