NTSB Factual Report

On March 20, 2004, about 0845 eastern standard time, a Beech V35B airplane, N412V, sustained substantial damage when the pilot inadvertently retracted the landing gear during taxi from landing at the Herlong Airport, Jacksonville, Florida. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal cross country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, at the time of the accident. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed the St. Marys Airport, St. Marys, Georgia, about 0730.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on March 21, the pilot said during taxi after landing he went to retract the flaps, and inadvertently retracted the landing gear. He said there were no known mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident.

During a telephone conversation with the NTSB IIC on March 24, the FAA aviation safety inspector who examined the airplane, said the box beam that supports the landing gear transmission was damaged, and would have to be replaced. He said the landing gear, gear doors, and the propeller were also damaged.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's inadvertent retraction of the landing gear during the taxi from landing, which resulted in structural damage to the airplane.