Beech 95 accident near Bremerton, Washington, April 5, 2023
On April 5, 2023 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1959 Beech 95, registered N21RS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Bremerton, Washington (Bremerton National 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
Failure of the down limit and down indicator switch and the warning horn switch assemblies, which prevented the landing gear from extending and at the same time providing a false indication that the landing gear was extended.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 2023 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bremerton, Washington · Bremerton National · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95, built 1959 · all 95s on the register
- Registration
- N21RS · registry record · serial TD224
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane had been stored outside for a year, and the flight was the first after an annual inspection that had recently been performed. The pilot reported that while on approach to land, he had a gear safe indicator light, but upon touchdown discovered that the gear had not extended. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage at the lateral wing spar carry-through structure. Postaccident examination revealed that the landing gear down limit and down indicator switch, and the warning horn switch were both stuck in the open position. This condition provided a false gear down-and-locked indication and disabled the gear warning horn.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear door retract sec › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 898 hours in all; 540 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 640 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,266 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 31, 2023; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 2,250 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 2,250 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 3013.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from KPWT
Weather report (METAR): METAR KPWT 052156Z AUTO 21010KT 10SM FEW040 OVC050 10/01 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP212 T01000011=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on June 26, 2024. 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, 12 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Maintenance Records - Gear System Examination | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Records - Annual Inspections | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | 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.