Beech 95-C55 N677Z accident near Williston, Florida

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to properly configure and confirm the position of the landing gear prior to landing.

NTSB analysis

According to the pilot, while the airplane was on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, he lowered the landing gear handle and thought he saw the green landing gear indicator lights illuminate. He then became distracted and did not check the landing gear lights again. The airplane touched down with the landing gear retracted, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot stated that the accident was a mistake and that his own fatigue or stress may have been an issue. Examination of the airplane revealed that the landing gear handle was in the "down" position, the landing gear indicator lights were functioning, and that the landing gear motor circuit breaker had been tripped. The circuit breaker was reset and the landing gear was cycled six times with no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies noted.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA11CA076 for the full record.