On June 20, 1983, a Beech 95-B55 (registration N7712R) was involved in an aviation accident near Pineville, LA. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During landing, the left main gear failed to extend despite the gear indicator showing down. The aircraft landed with the left gear retracted, resulting in contact with the wing and propeller, and a 180-degree spin onto grass.
Incident Details
Prior to landing, the pilot moved the landing gear switch to the extend position and observed that the gear indicator showed a down indication. However, the left main landing gear did not extend. The aircraft touched down with the left gear retracted, causing the left wing and propeller to contact the ground. The aircraft then rotated 180 degrees to the left and came to rest on a grassy area adjacent to the runway.
Examination Findings
Post-incident examination revealed that the left main landing gear cable was loose, the respective uplock mechanism was worn, and the left gear was stuck in the up position. The gear position indicator was found to indicate the position of the landing gear actuator arm rather than the actual position of the landing gear.
Maintenance History
The last annual inspection of the aircraft was performed on May 12, 1982.