Baron 55/Cochise
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20; Flight Crew Total 8800; Flight Crew Type 3000
Confusion; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Ground Event / Encounter Ground Strike - Aircraft
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; General Evacuated; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
The flight in BE95-B55 with conditions at the destination reported as 1;500 feet overcast; 10 SM visibility. The ceiling required a pick-up of an IFR clearance to fly the RNAV (GPS) Runway 29 approach. Contacting Tower about 8 NM out; I was instructed to slow to final approach speed. I lowered gear; confirmed the landing gear down and locked green light and red mechanical pointer (my 'light and spike check'); lowered full flaps; and maintained 110 mph IAS. At 1;500 feet MSL I broke out of the overcast and continued the final approach on the VASI's. I repeated my light and spike check. The steeper than usual descent angle on final required throttle reduction below the gear warning position; but the horn was silent; indicating gear down and locked. Crossing the displaced threshold at 100 mph I accomplished my last light and spike check and retarded the throttles to idle. The stall warning horn sounded momentarily as the airplane touched on the main gear just past Taxiway L. After about 300 feet of roll I lowered the nose wheel to the runway. After about 10 seconds the nose gear abruptly collapsed; followed some seconds later by both main gear. As the airplane slid to a stop just short of Taxiway F; I moved the mixture levers to cutoff and turned off the magneto switches. As the airplane came to rest; I called Tower advising them of the situation; they replied that they were rolling emergency vehicles. Confirming that my passenger was OK; I opened the door and helped him leave the airplane. I then turned the fuel selectors OFF; turned off all other switches. I noted that the gear lever was down while landing gear was not and wondered why there was no GEAR NOT DOWN warning horn. I turned off the master switch; rechecked the mixture levers and mag switches; and departed the airplane. It is not yet known what caused the landing gear to retract or collapse after (I estimate) over 1;000 feet of landing roll. Assuming no structural or mechanical failure of the landing gear components; the gear could only have retracted by electrical actuation. In order for this to have occurred; at least one electrical component must have failed. Since the airplane is 45 years old and many of the landing gear electrical components are original; this possibility cannot be dismissed. Furthermore; the design of the landing gear electrical system and its components is nearly 70 years old. Technology has improved so much since the inception of this design that the actuation and safety components can certainly be improved without significant difficulty and expense.
After the pilot completed the Landing Checklist twice before touchdown; his BE-95's nose gear collapsed after touchdown followed by the main gear so the he secured the aircraft and evacuated with his passenger; unhurt.