N931BBeech N35 · 1961

On July 10, 2008, about 1500 Pacific daylight time, a Beech N35, N931B, veered of the runway during landing at Columbia Gorge Regional Airport, The Dalles, Oregon. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right aileron. The cross-country personal flight departed Spokane, Washington, about 1330 with a planned destination of The Dalles. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The Safety Board was not notified of the accident until November 21, 2008, and the pilot did not submit a Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report (Form 6120.1).

The pilot reported to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that he was landing on runway 30. The winds were from 350 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 16 knots. He said that he landed on the runway centerline passed the runway threshold. The right wing continued to settle during the rollout and contacted the runway. The airplane veered to the right, and departed the runway surface. It came to rest one full plane length off the runway, and perpendicular to the runway. The pilot exited the airplane, and noted that the right main landing gear had collapsed. Post crash examination revealed that the right aileron sustained structural damage.

The owner of the maintenance facility that repaired the airplane described the damage, which was initiated prior to notification of the Safety Board. He stated that the nose and left main landing gear remained down and locked with no damage to the gear or doors. The right main landing gear collapsed inboard. The inner gear door was scraped on the bottom edge. His mechanics changed the inner gear door, wing tip, aileron, flap, and step. They cycled the landing gear numerous times, and did not find any problems with the operating or warning systems.