Crash of a Beechcraft B55 Baron at Westfield-Barnes Airport (BAF), Massachusetts (Dec 29, 2020)

[@drakepomeroy2861]

Never forget the GUMPS checklist. G: Gear down U: Undercarriage(gear down) M: Make sure your gear’s down P: Put your gear down S: Seriously put your gear down

[@fjbtube6278]

That “bump” he felt was the right prop striking the ground

[@johnfisher7143]

He’s very lucky he didn’t get it back into the air after the initial prop strikes. There have been instances of gear up landings in twins where the pilot has added power after realizing their mistake only to get airborne again and crash further around the pattern.

[@spring4522]

And another "pilot" takes a perfectly serviceable aeroplane to the scene of the crash.

[@BrokenWrenches]

sometimes ya just get in a hurry and forget to put down the little rolley things.

[@davidbarnes4586]

With 400 hours in a 55 Baron I do not know how anyone would not know the gear was not down. The gear is like a speed break-without the gear down any Pilot would know the Aircraft speed would not be correct. Fly by numbers!

[@smark1180]

Same with Bonanzas.

[@sparky6200]

Same with just about every plane with retracts... The level of retardation isn't even shocking anymore - its commonplace.

[@DrJohn493]

This E-55 Baron pilot for 27 years seconds your comment.

[@timduggan1461]

"brake". Speed brake. But, this pilot DID break a very nice airplane unnecessarily.

[@craighermle7727]

Everyone makes mistakes; it's a question of severity. There was a world famous-14 pilot with 1,000s if not 10s of thousands of hours high-performance jets, who died not long ago because he took off in his private plane with the control lock in place

[@hotrodray6802]

CP here. Im lost... He said it started a right roll so he pulled the right engine and stabbed right rudder. I think he meant LEFT. ??????? Sure looks like the prop strike put him into a VMC or aileron stall roll. It has ALWAYS been my habit that when I select gear down I ALWAYS stop and wait for the gear down and locked lights. ALWAYS. When flying checkrides with Flight Safety pilot a couple decades ago this drove him crazy, telling me NOT to do that. Ive never landed gear up in 50 years. I even have a checklist at my house door and in my car. Call me OCD.

[@JamieCameron-Mackintosh-z7c]

That's a pretty clear indication of the hazards of failing to complete the landing checklist properly... IF we can trust the pilot's statement.

[@GodzillaSpeaks]

Even if he was carrying 20" of MP (excessive for those conditions, especially without the drag of the gear being down) it's hard to believe the gear horn wasn't singing on his roundout. The gear came down after the gear handle was lowered and once the sight picture in the cockpit communicated the fact that the gear wasn't down. Too bad the tower didn't see the gear not extended.

[@BlackRedsPlaneSpottingChannel]

WOW. Poor Beechcraft Baron. And the pilot, too.

[@rallyden]

The pilot’s statement makes no sense with the right roll and right power adjustment. And the smoke after the right engine prop strike did not indicate any challenging winds. He added power, lowered gear and the sick engine(s) hovered him at about 7’ and then just stalled.

[@bernieschiff5919]

He is probably trying to cover for the fact that he didn't do his checklist. In our flying club, one of the members, not me, tried to land our Mooney 201 with the gear up and almost succeeded. Similar to this, he slammed down the gear switch at the last moment, forcing the wheels to lift the plane up and preventing a prop strike. Someone noticed about 2 weeks later the gear was not sitting straight. The mechanic grounded it instantly and said it could have collapsed at any time. Bill for repairs was oxer 35K.

[@hotrodray6802]

​@@bernieschiff5919 I was in the rear seat of a Commanche 250 when a CP rated pilot stalled in from 6 ft, bounced high, grabbed gear UP during the bounce and crammed full throttle... I guess he thought he was in a Cessna 172 that could fly out of a bounce. 😳 NEVER, NEVER rode in the backseat of anything again for 20 years. And only 3 times If I ain't at the controls, I ain't going. Period.

[@JohnVHRC]

Nice use of checklists.

[@alk672]

Is it common to start messing with engine levers trying to introduce asymmetric thrust in a landing flare in order to compensate for "gusts"? That sounds completely wild to me.

[@calvinnickel9995]

It is on the rollout. In the King Air we are often encouraged to use downwind beta in a cross wind as rudder loses effectiveness. In the air? Never. That’s what crabbing and slipping are for.

[@edgarnewberry-cw4ld]

What a well engineered plane. When the prop tips hit the runway its too late to react.

[@chipsrafferty8362]

The runway light fixtures are supposed to be frangable,those were not,a report is in order

[@Wileybird03]

Dam!! Nice Baron too😢

[@faceoftexas3903]

How about air speed with gear up. Coming in way too hot. By the numbers as stated above

[@andersschoen3613]

As an airline pilot I look back at my general aviation days. I survived 1500 hrs GA flying. Being a new pilot in General Aviation is some of the most dangerous times in a pilots career apart from being a military pilot. We are inexperienced with very little safety thinking and flying often complex pistons. No procedures, no flows, no gates to trigger necessary actions. It’s a very deadly combination.

[@DrJohn493]

It can be. But for those of us that spent our whole career flying GA, some like me tried to build regimentation into our procedures so we could die peacefully in bed one day.

[@MikeBrown-ex9nh]

I would think that someone accomplished enough to fly twins would remember the basics, or use a checklist.

[@tungstenkid2271]

Why did he reduce thrust on the right engine?

[@petepeterson5337]

This is a good place to keep the comments kind and constructive, and try to learn from the mistake. I haven't done a gear-up, but do know that sometimes good pilots make bad mistakes. I agree with the comment below about the gear being like speed breaks, that is my experience. Just like climbing out and not getting expected performance, when coming in and having trouble getting the speed down with some power, alarms should go off in our heads that we have a configuration problem; the plane isn't "just performing different today".

[@gww5215]

As a professional pilot, 35 year instructor, and accident investigator; you get my vote for best comment. Well done!

[@johnmajane3731]

Tried to land with the gear up. Clearly didn't perform his before landing checklist.

[@uniquegiftpens]

I am not a pilot, but if I were, i would install a little camera in the wheel well. I know that it would be one more thing to look at but a quick glance would tell the position of the wheels.

[@thomaslembessis6803]

My Seneca has a convex mirror on the left engine cowling which shows the nose gear when it’s extended

[@DrJohn493]

Not really necessary, there are cockpit gear indicators ("three greens") that tell the pilot the gear is down, if he or she will only look.

[@johnwyoder]

Yeah, great idea, except that a pilot forgetting to check for 3 green indicators will also forget to check the wheel well camera.

[@stuartmccoll0149]

Why would you even try to get airborne again?

[@someonespadre]

My Dad used to say there are retract pilots who have landed gear up and those who will.

[@SI-lg2vp]

Retractable gear airplanes have a noticeable profile with the gear down. Flying with the gear up for landing the power and pitch profile is vastly different. Most if not all retract gear planes have a warning horn when the flaps are not up and the power settings are too low to warn the pilot that the gear is not down. How any pilot could make a normal approach for landing with the gear up and ignore the warning horn is crazy. Ignore the warning horn and you will get your rewards of a gear up landing. This is why insurance rates are high for retractable airplanes. Every gear up landing impacts the insurance rates for all retract airplanes. Guess this is why they have a check list for landing. Some just can't read a check list.

[@jeffpontius50]

Fly by the numbers! If your gear is not down and at 1800 RPM per engine, your airspeed will be way to high for landing

[@rayhenderson5782]

Many years ago, when I first started flying complex aircraft, I looked introspectively and asked myself what I could do to avoid such situation. The answer, GUMPS. Every time. Overt the years, pilots tend to bypass the checklist. GUMPS is easy and will save you from this disaster.

[@julesviolin]

My Nav system announces "Check Gear" when getting low . Very simple software for as litte as £500. So far in 40 years I've always been ahead of that announcement ⚠️😎

[@jameslipscomb5884]

Old saying: There are only two kinds of pilots, those who have landed gear up, and those who have not - yet - landed gear up.

[@manifestgtr]

I’m a dedicated fixed gear guy so god help us if I ever fall into the former category 🧐

[@paulcantrell01451]

There was a funny "I learned about flying from that" where the guy made a good case that it's actually 3 kinds, those that have not, those that have, and those that have again ( he felt he had been feeling like it couldn't happen to him again, because he had already had his gear up landing ).

[@jameslipscomb5884]

Advice to fixed-gear me from my instructor: I can see that retractable flying is in your future, so starting now do GUMPS checks in the pattern, so it is ingrained when you transition.

[@ronaldluning4010]

Older saying; pilots that have ground looped and those that have not yet ground looped. ? how often that is true, what %?

[@paulcantrell01451]

@@ronaldluning4010 what percentage fly taildraggers these days... Pretty low. I did see a video recently that said basically "if you fly a taildragger you WILL eventually ground loop". Not sure how true that is...

[@JamieCameron-Mackintosh-z7c]

And before anyone says it, no, that won't buff out... Not even with T-Cut...

[@thunderbolt513]

Well there goes one pilot regretting not having assured the "landing checklist complete". And I didnt state my GUMPS out loud! It`s gonna be a high bill at the end.🤐😬

[@PeterStaniforth]

"Is it ok if I leave it here?"

[@nightwaves3203]

The pilots that don't make putting the gear down as a standard for slowing the aircraft down to land pay expensive repair bills.

[@tangocharlie9291]

Facts

[@johnmajane3731]

using the gear as a speed brake is poor form and practice.Though the Barron's gear speed is very high no need to use it like that. My Bonanza has a low gear speed of 125 mph, I have to manage my energy and plan my decent so I am slow enough to put the gear down.

[@nightwaves3203]

@@johnmajane3731 The Baron D55 I can't recall any reason for not slowing down using the gear because you are waiting for the gear down speed after descending into the pattern or straight in. Not making it a habit is well watch the videos of gear up landings by mistake hehehe.

[@johnmajane3731]

@@nightwaves3203 checklists avoid this issue. Using the gear to make up for poor planning is really not good form and rough on the doors.

[@nightwaves3203]

@@johnmajane3731 Flying a twin the planning is to be slowing to gear down after slowing to gear down speeds. The gear down assures stepping down in altitude in the pattern you aren't increasing velocity much. You invote not having a stabile approach not having gear own till later in landing. Although let AI fly the plane figuring gear is only for touching down. You might of noticed faster planes deploy the gear for slow fight to be stabile which landing is or at least should be stabile during landing.

[@JamieCameron-Mackintosh-z7c]

"Defining event: Loss of control on ground..." Umm, well sorta on the ground AND in the air, though only by inches.

[@jamesm568]

Humans are not perfect and will always be prone to mistakes.

[@jamesm568]

@RetreadPhoto a checklist is written by humans and prone to mistakes.

[@TheDAVE858]

There can be alarms lights bells & whistles & rest assured someone will still fuck it up.

[@paulcantrell01451]

I watched a guy land gear up, when the aircraft stopped sliding he jumped out and was cursing that he had meant to get the "gear not down" alarm fixed, but just hadn't gotten to it yet... 😢

[@sanantonio855]

There were no alarms because of his specific configuration, have you even read the text?

[@shazam6274]

Interesting, undisciplined landing mistake. This is quite a bit more than "Hangar Rash", though. So does insurance pay the >$100k repairs in this case?

[@bernieschiff5919]

I think insurance might total the plane and write it off. There appears to be spar damage from the wingtip strikes, as well as new engines and props and other damage we can't see. An experienced rebuild shop might buy and then re-certify the aircraft with a new N number, test fly, re-paint, and put it back on the market.

[@shazam6274]

@@bernieschiff5919 I was more interested if they would provide coverage at all, since the pilot crashed it. If you drive a car into a concrete wall due to inattention, most insurance will not pay for the car (maybe damage to the wall due to liability, and medical bills for all, but not th car)

[@dermick]

@@shazam6274 Gear up landings are almost always pilot error, and yes, they do pay even if it's pilot error. Assuming you have hull damage insurance.

[@shazam6274]

@@dermick Thanks.

[@sqd37l]

looks like the airframe is tweaked

[@charlestoast4051]

Wow, what a schoolboy error. And then to bring God in, as his witness…..

[@shazam6274]

The Almighty took the 5th on his behalf when questioned.

[@shazam6274]

@RetreadPhoto Or asks "it depends on what the meaning of is, is"

[@benparadude2028]

I think his coach waved him in to slide home plate……

[@bernardanderson3758]

Sadly this has to happen to a nice B55 Baron

[@donny526]

That’s odd

[@dobermanpac1064]

#1 CHECK THE CHECK LIST. #2 Read rule #1 #3 Follow the instructions on the List.

[@evilload]

Sir, you can't park there...

[@MikeM275]

Nothing to see here folks...just scraping the barnacles off the bottom....

[@stealhty1]

Gents,,,Check list ............

[@peterkinner1678]

Red, Blue, Green.

[@gehlen52]

Insurance won't be covering this one.

[@jamesm568]

Insurance will cover it.

[@cessna177flyer3]

Why not? They will cover it, but his rates will go up.

[@michaelreilly6447]

...check wheels down..clear to land...wtf

[@crnkin2]

lol insurance job written all over it

[@cowboyvalley]

Palm plant!

[@giampierobarone8203]

😞

[@quick65filly]

So many GA accidents.

[@cessna177flyer3]

It may seem that way, but the data says otherwise. The GA accident rate in the U.S. is at, or near, an all time low. Check out the McSpadden Report (Formally the Nall Report) for a look into the actual numbers.

[@dermick]

@@cessna177flyer3 Correct. The numbers are getting better every year. In the old days, very few crashes were covered, but now, every crash is covered by ten YT content creators, so it looks like there are more crashes. The good thing about all this coverage for pilots is it helps us learn another thing to avoid, and of course reminds us of things we know, like use your checklist. Humans make mistakes, and we are (mostly) all humans.

[@quick65filly]

@@cessna177flyer3 Love the Cardinal.

[@cessna177flyer3]

@RetreadPhoto I recognize the irony, but the data is the data…

[@StevenRichards-w2i]

Bagram air field

[@08turboSS]

Doeant matter "how well" you know the plane, ALWAYS uae checklists and GUMPS about 3x nase to final if final is under 3 mi or on final. Juat tired of GA pilots using memory, that which should only be for emergancy checklists

[@lykinsmotorsports]

GUMPS

[@rongreen8962]

Do taxpayers fund the NTSB investigations of these crashes?

[@sanantonio855]

Yes and?

[@HTN3]

Did the children perish too?

[@theresacaron4238]

I guess you didn't read the report, one person on board, the pilot, no injuries, you blind or can't you read? No passengers including children.

[@Nick-cd4kd]

another incompetent pilot!

[@MrStratbat]

one word,,Goober or Gomer