No fatalities

Business Flight Lands Gear Up Due to Circuit Breaker and Oversight (N866Q)

White Plains-Westchester County, United States of AmericaLanding (descent or approach)

On December 7, 1987, a Mitsubishi MU-2 Marquise (registration N866Q) operated by Richard R. Hough (RRH Inc.) was involved in an aviation accident near White Plains-Westchester County, United States of America during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The landing gear normal retraction/extension assembly was inoperative; gear extension not attained by the pilot; the gear warning system was inoperative; the electrical system circuit breaker popped/tripped; and the pilot did not follow the checklist. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-11Data APIEditorial standards

A business flight from Concord, NH to White Plains, NY landed with gear retracted after the pilot extended the gear without noticing an open circuit breaker; the gear warning horn was inoperative.

Incident Summary

A cross-country business flight from Concord, New Hampshire to White Plains, New York, conducted under clear skies, ended with a gear-up landing. The pilot extended the landing gear during final approach but failed to notice that the circuit breaker had opened, leaving the gear retracted. The aircraft touched down with the gear doors partially open. The gear warning horn did not operate during the approach.

Flight Details

The flight was uneventful until the landing phase. The pilot reported that he did not check for three green lights indicating gear down and locked. The gear warning system was inoperative, and the circuit breaker for the landing gear system had tripped.

Probable Cause

According to the official findings, the probable cause includes: the landing gear normal retraction/extension assembly being inoperative; gear extension not attained by the pilot; the gear warning system being inoperative; the electrical system circuit breaker popped/tripped; and the pilot not following the checklist.