Probable cause
The failure of the forward end of the landing gear actuator rod.
NTSB analysis
On the base leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot lowered the landing gear and the green landing gear indicator light illuminated. During the subsequent landing, the main gear touched down, and “the nose came down like normal but kept going down with a sudden bang.” The airplane slid off the runway, came to rest in the grass, and sustained substantial damage to the forward lower fuselage.
Examination of the airplane revealed that forward end of the landing gear actuator rod was fractured. The failure resulted in insufficient tension to keep the over-center down lock assembly in place.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA21LA312 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jul 30, 2021
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Readington, New Jersey
- Nearest airport
- Solberg-Hunterdon (N51)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Beech K35
- N-number
- N44DB
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1959
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.