# Accident 19980904047199A: Cessna 401, Lancaster, TX, September 4, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 4, 1998, 18:30 local time
- Place: Lancaster, TX
- Airport: Lancaster Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Touch And Go Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.6193° N, 96.7794° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6193&lon=-96.7794&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3239Q, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3239Q) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 401 (registry code 207590C, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-401) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 401
- Reported engine: CONT TSIO520E
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 697 total, 16 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA389](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA389) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980904047199A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4) ON SEPTEMBER 4, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 1830 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 401 TWIN ENGINE AIRPLANE, N3239Q, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT SKIDDED OFF THE RUNWAY DURING TAKEOFF FROM LANCASTER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, LANCASTER, TEXAS. ALL 3 OCCUPANTS, THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND 2 PASSENGERS, WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS IN THE LOCAL LANDING PATTERN DOING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. HE STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE THIRD TOUCH AND GO. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, HE ADDED POWER FOR TAKEOFF AND INTENDED TO "RAISE" THE "FLAP" LEVER. HE STATED THAT HE "ACTUALLY" RAISED THE LANDING GEAR LEVER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED OFF THE PAVED RUNWAY ONTO GRASS. AN FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT HE FOUND BOTH SIDES OF THE AFT CABIN BULKHEAD BUCKLED DURING POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION. THE PILOT ADDED THAT HE HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY FLYING A BEECH BONANZA, AND THAT THE LANDING GEAR LEVER ON THE CESSNA 401 IS LOCATED WHERE THE FLAP LEVER IS ON THE BONANZA. HE HAD A TOTALOF 697 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME, 676 OF WHICH WERE FLOWN IN THE BONANZA, AND A TOTAL OF 16 HOURS IN THE CESSNA 401. IN THE LAST 90 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, HE HAD A TOTAL OF 2 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME, WHICH WERE FLOWN IN THE BONANZA. THE PILOT SUGGESTED IN THE SAFETY RECOMMENDATION SECTION OF NTSB FORM 6120.1/2 THAT THE LOCATIONS OF LANDING GEAR AND FLAP LEVERS SHOULD BE STANDARDIZED IN ALL AIRCRAFT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW98LA389](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA389), Sep 4, 1998: Cessna 401 (N3239Q), Lancaster, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadvertent retraction of the landing gear while intending to retract the flaps. A factor was the pilots lack of total experience in the type of aircraft.

## Other reports on N3239Q (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20250522006249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250522006249A), May 22, 2025: Cessna 401 (N3239Q), Arlington, TX, Substantial damage. On may 22, 2025 at approximately 1242 local time, [privacy data omitted] operated by PIC [privacy data omitted] conducted a gear up landing at kgky. [privacy…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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