ALBUQUERQUE, NM, USA
N639V
Beech M35
As the airplane took off, controllers noticed the landing gear did not retract fully and advised the pilot, but he did not acknowledge the advisory. The airplane entered a left traffic pattern for runway 8, then made 'steep turns' to enter a right base leg and final approach to runway 8. It began 'rocking back and forth,' then appeared to stall. It collided with terrain near the runway threshold. The alternator belt was found to be missing. The alternator was later bench tested and operated normally when connected to a fresh battery. When tested, the airplane's battery produced 8.49 volts, enough to energize the field coils, and was determined to be capable of being recharged.
On February 5, 2000, at 0823 mountain standard time, a Beech M35, N639V, owned and operated by the pilot, was destroyed when it collided with terrain while maneuvering west of the approach end of runway 8 at Albuquerque International Sunport, Albuquerque, New Mexico. The airline transport certificated pilot and his passenger were seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Albuquerque at 0813. Due to the extent of injuries sustained by the pilot and his passenger, no attempt was made to interview them. Rather, information was collected from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Beech Aircraft Corporation, Teledyne Continental Motors, and Universal Loss Management, Inc. (ULM), and the Federal Aviation Administration. (FAA and ULM officials did interview the pilot's wife). The following is based on the information collected. The pilot and his wife departed Berkeley, California, on February 4, and flew to Socorro, New Mexico, the first planned refueling stop. Their eventual destination was to be the Cayman Islands. Arriving after dark, they found the airport unattended. They took off again and flew to Albuquerque. According to the ground controller, after the airplane landed and turned off onto the taxiway, the pilot did not acknowledge taxi instructions. The controller also noticed the airplane's position and landing lights were dim. The next morning, after the airplane had been refueled, the pilot asked Cutter Aviation personnel to give him a "jump start" because his "battery was low." Radio instructions for taxi and takeoff were acknowledged by the pilot. The airplane took off on runway 3. The local controller noticed that the landing gear did not retract fully and advised the pilot. The pilot did not acknowledge this advisory. The pilot's wife later told investigators that she tried to contact the control tower using a hand-held transceiver, but was unsuccessful. Controllers watched the airplane as it entered a left traffic pattern for runway 8, then continued to fly over the runway. The controller again advised the pilot that the landing gear was only partially retracted, and issued a clearance to land on any runway. The controller also aimed a green light signal at the airplane. The pilot did not acknowledge this clearance. Controllers watched the airplane enter a left traffic pattern for runway 8 a second time. The airplane flew over the approach end of runway 8 on a southwest heading, then made "steep turns" to enter a right base leg and final approach to runway 8. According to the controllers, the airplane began "rocking back and forth," then appeared to stall while on a short final approach. The pilot's wife said the wings began "waggling back and forth," the airplane "just quit." It collided with 40 degree upslope terrain just north and west of runway 8's threshold, and just outside the airport's perimeter fence. Examination of the engine disclosed normal combustion signatures on all spark plugs. The oil and fuel filters were clean. Power train continuity was established, and good cylinder compression was noted. There was impact damage to the induction and exhaust manifolds. Cockpit examination revealed the following: Landing gear switch DOWN Flap switch NEUTRAL Manual landing gear extension HANDLE DEPLOYED Throttle IDLE-CUTOFF Propeller LOW PITCH-HIGH RPM Mixture FULL RICH Auxiliary fuel (boost) pump ON Ignition RIGHT MAGNETO Generator/Battery ON Further examination revealed the following instrument panel settings: Airspeed indicator 0 knots Vertical speed 0 fpm Artificial horizon Wings level/ steep nose down Directional gyro 271 degrees Altimeter 3,620 feet Kollsman window 30.20 in. Hg. #1 OBS (needle centered) 350 degrees #2 OBS (needle centered) 360 degrees #1 Transponder 1183 #2 Transponder 1105 Tachometer 0 rpm Hour recorder 1,767.80 hours External examination of the airplane revealed the flaps were up. The elevator trim was measured at 5 degrees tab down (nose up). The alternator was found to be non-standard (i.e. automotive), and the data plate was missing. It was belt-slaved to the engine, and the belt was missing. A search for the alternator belt at the accident site and in the wreckage was to no avail. The alternator was bench tested and operated normally when connected to a fresh battery. When tested, the airplane's battery produced 8.49 volts, enough to energize the field coils, and was determined to be capable of being recharged. Several non-standard items were found in the airplane cabin. In what appeared to be a boat's battery box were two motorcycle batteries. The box was connected via cable to what appeared to be a GPS (Global Positioning System) antenna in the tailcone. In the right lower side panel was a homemade white plastic bracket containing three non-standard circuit breakers, the purpose of which could not be determined. There were also six stereo earphone sockets ganged together on a homemade bracket. Under the instrument panel was a 3-foot length of cable attached to a female computer plug, similar to that used for laptop computers.
The pilot inadvertently allowing the airplane to stall. Factors were the missing alternator belt and the resultant total electrical system failure, and the pilot's attention being diverted.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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