SANDWICH, IL, USA
N35E
BEECH D17R
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE PILOT REPORTED HE NOTICED A DROP IN RPM WHEN HE REDUCED POWER TO THE CRUISE SETTING. HE ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT HE HAD JUST DEPARTED AND MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS DISTRACTED AND BECAME CONCERNED WITH THE ENGINE RPM, AND FAILED TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR. THE AIRPLANE SLID DOWN THE RUNWAY AND CAUGHT FIRE.
On August 3, 1994, about 1130 central daylight time, a Beech D17R, N35E, was destroyed when it was consumed by fire after the pilot made a gear-up landing at the Woodlake Landing Airport, Sandwich, Illinois. The commercial pilot was not injured. The personal flight originated at Woodlake Landing with an intended destination of Mount Airy, North Carolina. No flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The pilot reported he noticed a drop in engine rpm shortly after takeoff, and elected to return to the airport and make a precautionary landing. He could not maintain airspeed with the landing gear down so he raised it. In his statement he said he, "...was concerned with rpm status, was apparently distracted, lowered flaps on short final, and failed to lower the gear." The Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the wreckage could find no reason for the loss of rpm.
the failure of the pilot to lower the landing gear. Factors related to the accident were the loss of engine rpm, for undetermined reasons, and the diverted attention of the pilot.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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