Incident Overview
On May 24, 2017, at approximately 0100 eastern daylight time, a Beechcraft BE-58 (registration N9132S) sustained substantial damage during a gear-up landing at Augusta Regional Airport (AGS) in Augusta, Georgia. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was conducted under Part 135 as an on-demand cargo operation, departing Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) in Chicago, Illinois. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed.
Pilot Statement
The pilot reported that he initially departed on a personal flight at 0715. Later that day, he accepted a Part 135 flight with an expected departure time of 1630, but the departure was delayed until 2000. During the approach to AGS, he did not extend the landing gear at the final approach fix, which he described as standard procedure, and he failed to confirm a safe landing gear indication before landing. He stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot also reported that he was fatigued and that his attempts to contact the fixed base operator during the approach distracted him.
Weather Conditions
At 0053, recorded weather at AGS included an overcast ceiling at 700 feet, calm wind, and 10 miles of visibility. The temperature was 21°C, the dew point was 20°C, and the altimeter setting was 29.69 inches of mercury.
Aircraft Information
The six-seat, low-wing, retractable tricycle-gear airplane was manufactured in 1976 and was powered by two Continental IO-520 engines, each producing 285 horsepower. The aircraft had accumulated 13,247 total hours at the time of its most recent inspection on May 9, 2017. The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multiengine land, and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on August 11, 2016. He reported 14,000 total flight hours, with 6,000 hours in the accident airplane make and model.
On-scene examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the wing ribs and stringers.