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ERA12CA558

2012-08-22 · Burlington, North Carolina, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport BUY

Current FAA registration · N331DP

Make / Model
BEECH 35-C33
Year of manufacture
1965 · 47 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR I0-470 SERIES (260 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19650824
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A399DF

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

Factual narrative

The pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was for him to demonstrate his ability to land an airplane to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, who was on the ground witnessing the flight. On the first landing, the airplane was landed hard causing the right main landing gear tire to deflate. The airplane veered off the right side of the runway and came to rest near airport facility equipment. The pilot further reported there was no preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction that caused the hard landing. Damage to the airplane was the right wing spar, left wing skin, and wrinkle in the fuselage skin above the right wing. The pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was for him to demonstrate to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, who was on the ground witnessing the flight, his ability to land an airplane. On the first landing, the airplane landed hard, and the right main landing gear tire deflated. The airplane veered off the right side of the runway and came to rest, damaging the right wing spar and fuselage. The pilot reported there was no preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction that caused the hard landing. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Landing flare-Incorrect use/operation - C
  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-Pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2012_ERA12CA558.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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