WPR24LA109

The pilot's improper engine start, resulting in the engine starters remaining engaged and the generators not being activated, which led to the discharge of the airplane’s battery and subsequent total electrical failure after takeoff. Contributing to the accident were generator caution lights not illuminating and the pilot’s inadequate manual landing gear extension, resulting in a landing with the gear not down and locked.

The pilot stated that shortly after departure, the airplane lost all electrical power. While descending and returning to the airport, the pilot attempted to manually extend the landing gear but could not verify they were in the down-and-locked position because the landing gear indicator lights were not operational. With the flaps retracted, the airplane touched down on the runway and the landing gear collapsed. According to the airplane’s Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH), the engine start procedure required sequencing to ignite the engine before placing each generator online. To turn the generator on, the generator control switch must first be held upward in the spring-loaded “GEN RESET” position for a minimum of one second, then released to the “ON” position. The electrical system is designed so that the starter circuit has priority over the generator circuit, prohibiting a generator from coming online until the starter is fully disengaged. Placing the ignition and engine start switch into any position except “OFF” results in the same-side generator shutting off, and it is not possible to bring the generator online until the ignition and engine start switch is moved to the “OFF” position. The POH also instructs the pilot to unstow and pump the alternate extension handle to perform a manual gear extension. It states, “If one or more green gear-down annunciators do not illuminate for any reason and a decision is made to land in this condition,” the pilot should continue pumping the handle “until maximum resistance is felt.” Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the generator caution lights were not operational and it is unlikely that the pilot tested them. Capacity testing of the battery indicated that its condition was slightly less than that of a normally functioning battery, which is likely partially the reason the battery lasted just 18 minutes after start, rather than the specified 30 minutes. Additionally, the 30-minute battery life assumes that only essential electrical equipment is operating. No mechanical anomalies were found during the postaccident manual extension of the landing gear. The pilot stated that, during training for emergency manual landing gear extension procedures, he consistently verified illumination of three green indicator lights, confirming that the landing gear was in the down-and-locked position. During the accident flight, he was unable to obtain this visual confirmation due to the complete electrical power loss, which rendered the gear position indicator lights inoperative. It is likely that the pilot inadvertently turned on the starter switches or did not reset the generators, which led to depletion of the battery and loss of electrical power to the airplane's systems. If the pilot had followed the emergency procedures and had continued to pump the manual landing gear extension handle, he likely could have lowered the landing gear.

According to FAA airman records, the pilot had accrued 186 hours as pilot-in-command of the same make and model as the accident airplane. According to operator records, between October 1, 2023, and the date of the accident, the pilot had accumulated a total of 146 flight hours, of which 32.7 hours were in the accident airplane. The pilot’s most recent medical certificate was issued with the limitation that he must use corrective lenses. The pilot completed his most recent Part 135 recurrent training in a Beechcraft King Air 200 equipped with a G1000 avionics suite on October 19, 2023. The training, conducted over three days, included a satisfactory completion of the 14 CFR 135.293(a)(2-3) (knowledge test on topics including aircraft systems and emergency procedures) and 135.297 (instrument proficiency) checks. The pilot completed 6 hours of simulator flight, during which he performed 10 takeoffs and 7 landings. Emergency procedures included a simulated landing gear and flap-system malfunction. The curriculum also included 11 hours of ground training and 4.5 hours of briefing and debriefing. The pilot had previously completed his initial King Air 200 training on November 1, 2022, which included 40.5 hours of ground instruction and 11.5 hours of flight training. The pilot stated that during training for emergency manual landing gear extension procedures, he consistently verified illumination of three green indicator lights, confirming that the landing gear was in the down-and-locked position. During the accident flight, he was unable to obtain this visual confirmation due to a complete electrical power loss, which rendered the gear position indicator lights inoperative. A review of the airplane’s records revealed that it was purchased by the operator in February 2006. The hour meter time was 8,712.4 hours. The battery was installed new in June 2020 and, according to maintenance records, had been removed on four occasions for servicing. It was last serviced on October 18, 2023, about 5 months before the accident, at an airplane total time of 13,741.1 hours, when it was recorded as being reconditioned and had a capacity of 93.90%. Engine Start According to the airplane’s checklist in the Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH), the battery engine start procedure begins with the right ignition and engine start switch selected to the “ON” position. When the right engine reaches 12% N1 (compressor speed) or greater, the right condition lever is placed to “LOW IDLE.” The pilot is instructed to monitor right ITT (inlet turbine temperature) and N1, with a limitation of 1,000°C maximum ITT, and to verify right oil pressure. At 50% N1 or greater, the right ignition and engine start switch should be turned “OFF” and the right condition lever advanced to “HIGH IDLE.” The right generator switch must then be placed into the “GEN RESET” position and then placed “ON.” The pilot should then verify that the battery charge annunciator light is illuminated until the loadmeter reads 50% or less (the illumination should occur about 6 seconds after the generator comes online). The same procedure is then conducted on the left engine. The left ignition and engine start switch is selected “ON” and then, when 12% N1 or greater is reached, the left condition lever is placed to “LOW IDLE.” At 50% N1 or greater, the left ignition and engine start switch is selected to “OFF.” The pilot is instructed to check DC voltage and loadmeters by pressing to verify a reading between 27.5 and 29.0 volts. The left generator must then be placed into the “GEN RESET” position and then placed “ON.” Finally, the right condition lever is then reduced to “LOW IDLE.” Starter/Generator System Located on the pilot’s left subpanel, the battery switch (BATT) and the left and right generator switches (GEN 1 and GEN 2) are red-tipped, guarded toggle switches positioned beneath a gang bar fitted with a piano hinge (see figure 2). The purpose of the bar is to turn all three switches off at the same time by pressing down on the piece of metal. Generator switch positions are “GEN RESET–ON–OFF,” and the pilot must hold the switch in the “GEN RESET” position, where it is spring-loaded to return to “ON.” To bring a generator online, the switch is placed momentarily in the "GEN RESET" position, which allows the generator voltage to build up to 28 volts with the line contactor open. When the switch is released to the "ON" position, the line contactor closes, and the generator will go online. The POH notes, “In order to turn the generator ON, the generator control switch must first be held upward in the spring-loaded RESET position for a minimum of one second, then released to the ON position.” Figure 2. Generator and starter switches. Below the generator switches are the left and right ignition and engine start switches. The unguarded, metal toggle switches have the following positions: ON–OFF–STARTER ONLY. Placing the ignition and engine start switch into any position except “OFF” results in the same-side generator shutting off, and it is not possible to bring the generator online until the ignition and engine start switch is moved to the “OFF” position. The starter circuit takes precedence over the generator circuit, preventing the generator from operating until the starter switch is turned off. According to the POH, after a dual generator failure, there is about 30 minutes of battery life for a typical airplane. The POH notes, “This battery life is based on specific assumptions which may not occur in every instance such as the generator loads at the time of failure, battery condition, the time required to load shed non-essential equipment, and the electrical equipment installed on the airplane.” Manual Landing Gear Extension The POH instructs the pilot to unstow and pump the alternate extension handle to perform a manual gear extension. It states that “If One Or More Green Gear-Down Annunciators Do Not Illuminate For Any Reason And A Decision Is Made To Land In This Condition,” the pilot should continue pumping the handle “until maximum resistance is felt.” There is no pressure quantified or time duration stated for what the pilot should expect to successfully extend the gear to the down-and-locked position. On March 12, 2024, at 0805 mountain daylight time, a Raytheon Aircraft Company B200 King Air airplane, N299AV, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Billings, Montana. The pilot and safety pilot were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 positioning flight. The pilot stated that he flew the airplane for 5.8 hours the day before the accident. On the morning of the accident, he planned to depart Billings Logan International Airport (BIL), Billings, Montana, for a short, 17-minute trip to pick up passengers at 0800 at Colstrip Airport (M46), Colstrip, Montana. The pilot recalled that he did not feel hurried and had plenty of time. After departure from BIL, he received a "RA Fail" message (indicating a radio altimeter failure), followed by a "PT Fail" amber light (indicating pitch trim failure) on the primary and multi-function displays, and the electrical panels began to shut down. The pilot and safety pilot both recognized that the airplane had a total loss of electrical power. The pilot began a descending turn to return to BIL. As the airplane was descending and heading back to the airport, the safety pilot searched for an electrical failure checklist. He could not find such a checklist and the safety pilot started reading out the checklist for manually extending the landing gear. The BIL airport traffic control tower controller cleared the pilot to land by using a green light gun signal. The pilot opted to enter the airport traffic pattern on an extended base leg and land on runway 28R. He pulled the l