Skip to content

Atlas / NTSB / BFO85LA014

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event BFO85LA014

1985-02-04 CHANTILLY, Virginia, United States Airport · IAD Minor 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

WHILE RETRACTING THE LANDING GEAR AFTER TAKEOFF, THE GEAR HESITATED BRIEFLY AT ABOUT MIDPOINT BEFORE RETRACTING FULLY. ATTEMPTS TO EXTEND THE GEAR THROUGH NORMAL AND EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FAILED. THE ACFT LANDED AT DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WITH THE GEAR IN AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION. IT WAS THE PLT'S DECISION TO LAND IN THE GRASS TO THE LEFT OF RWY 30. IMMEDIATELY AFTER GROUND CONTACT, THE ACFT IMPACTED A TWO FEET HIGH EMBANKMENT. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS TRIPPED. RETRACTION TEST INDICATED THAT THE MAIN GEAR FUNCTIONED PROPERLY, HOWEVER EXTENSIVE DAMAGE PRECLUDED TESTING OF THE NOSE GEAR. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, WHILE THE ACFT WAS TIED DOWN, ANOTHER TAXIING ACFT STRUCK ITS SPINNER AREA, NECESSITATING MAINT ATTENTION, WHICH IMMEDIATELY PRECEDED THE ACCIDENT FLT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1985_BFO85LA014.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.