On June 3, 1987, a Beech A36 (registration N1859A) operated by Southeast Air,inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Greenville, SC. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot made a precautionary landing after electrical issues; nose and right main gear collapsed during braking. Pilot reported gear down but no indicator lights; manual extension attempt failed. Mechanic later said pilot forgot manual system; handcrank worked normally.
Incident Summary
A pilot conducted a precautionary landing after experiencing aircraft electrical problems and observing the ammeter indicating a discharge. During rollout braking, the nose landing gear and right main landing gear collapsed.
Pilot Actions
The pilot reported that the landing gear had been extended prior to landing using the normal electrically-operated system. However, the gear down and locked indicator lights did not illuminate. The pilot subsequently attempted to manually extend the gear using the handcrank but reported that he could not turn it. After recycling the gear electrically, a fly-by was performed by the tower, and Air Traffic Control advised the pilot that the gear appeared to be down.
Post-Accident Findings
A mechanic who arrived on scene shortly after the accident reported that the pilot stated he had forgotten to use the manual system. The mechanic later operated the handcrank and found that it appeared to rotate normally. Examination of the aircraft by the Federal Aviation Administration revealed that the gear down and locked indicating system was functional. No problems were reported with the rest of the aircraft electrical system.