Beech 95B55 N7371R accident near St. Augustine, Florida

Probable cause

The incomplete extension of the landing gear into the down-and-locked position for reasons that could not be determined. .

NTSB analysis

The pilot and the pilot-rated passenger, who was also a mechanic, were conducting a post-maintenance flight test after an extensive annual inspection of the airplane. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane lost complete electrical power. The pilot turned back toward the airport, while the pilot-rated passenger contacted the control tower with his mobile phone and declared an emergency. The pilot said that he, with some help from the pilot-rated passenger, attempted to manually lower the landing gear with the emergency gear extension handle; however, he may not have been able to get the landing gear fully extended to the down and locked position. When the airplane touched down on the runway, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane went off the right side of the runway and collided with a runway sign, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. A postaccident examination of the airplane’s electrical system revealed no mechanical issues and the reason for the loss of electrical power could not be determined from the available information. A functional test of the landing gear system could not be performed due to damage sustained during the accident.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA24LA214 for the full record.