No fatalities

Pilot Distraction Leads to Gear-Up Approach and Stall During Go-Around

Caldwell, NJ, United States

On June 26, 2019, a Beech 35 N35 was involved in an aviation accident near Caldwell, NJ. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's distraction while looking for traffic, which led to his failure to extend the landing gear before landing, and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during a subsequent go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot of a retractable landing gear airplane attempted to land with the gear retracted after being distracted by traffic. After warnings, the pilot initiated a go-around but stalled, causing the left wing to impact the ground and substantial damage.

Incident Summary

A pilot flying a retractable landing gear airplane experienced an event during landing. The pilot had been cleared by the tower controller to land behind another aircraft. While searching for the aircraft ahead, the pilot became distracted and did not extend the landing gear. Despite the gear being retracted, the pilot continued the approach and did not hear the landing gear warning horn.

Sequence of Events

During the landing attempt, a passenger yelled that the landing gear was still up, and concurrently, the tower controller called for a go-around. In response, the pilot pulled back on the yoke and added power. The airplane then aerodynamically stalled, causing the left wing to drop and impact the ground. The airplane came to rest in the grass to the left of the runway.

Aircraft Damage

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.

Pilot Report

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

Capability exceededNot used/operatedPilot