# NTSB CEN14LA065: Aero Commander 500 - B, N917GT, Lubbock, TX, October 31, 2013

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: October 30, 2013, 21:40 local (Oct 31, 2013, 02:40 UTC)
- Place: Lubbock, TX
- Coordinates: 33.640243, -101.779876 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6402&lon=-101.7799&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 27, 2014
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration; Lubbock FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 88455
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14LA065
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88455/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88455
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA065

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to complete a landing checklist and extend the landing gear, which resulted in a gear-up landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention to the weather during approach.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Attention/monitoring: task monitoring/vigilance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Aero Commander 500-B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md?model=0141106), [All aircraft, 330 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md)
- [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Aero Commander 500-B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=0141106), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md)
- [Landing gear system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Aero Commander 500-B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200/cases.md?model=0141106), [All aircraft, 113 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200/cases.md)
- [Convective weather: thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03033010): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Aero Commander 500-B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03033010/cases.md?model=0141106), [All aircraft, 100 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03033010/cases.md)
- [Attention/monitoring: attention](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Aero Commander 500-B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/cases.md?model=0141106), [All aircraft, 226 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach: Windshear or thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390); cases with it: [Aero Commander 500-B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md?model=0141106), [All aircraft, 224 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) (defining event); cases with it: [Aero Commander 500-B, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=0141106), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Aero Commander 500-B, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=0141106), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Aero Commander 500-B, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=0141106), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that, as the airplane approached the landing airport, he descended through windshear and turbulence before he turned on final; a strong southwest wind caused him to overshoot the final approach segment. The airplane was a "little high and fast," and he was encountering windshear bumps. He reduced engine power and maneuvered back to the runway centerline. He slowed the airplane to landing speed while applying half and then full flaps. The airplane subsequently touched down with the landing gear partially extended. The pilot did not recall seeing the landing gear position lights illuminated green; he further stated that he recited, but did not perform, the landing gear check because he was "very focused" on controlling the airplane through the windshear. He thought he landed the airplane with the gear up, and, at some point during the slide, he instinctively activated the gear handle. He said that he thought that he did not extend the landing gear. Postaccident examination of the landing gear system revealed no evidence of mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

On October 30, 2013, at 2140 central daylight time, an Aero Commander 500-B, N917GT, impacted the runway during a gear-up landing at Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport (LBB), Lubbock, Texas. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. The commercial pilot was uninjured. The airplane was registered to Central Airlines Inc., and operated by Central Air Southwest under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 135 as an on-demand cargo flight that was operating on an instrument flight rules flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed from El Paso International Airport (ELP), El Paso, Texas, at 2000 mountain daylight time and was destined to LBB. The pilot stated that he departed ELP using runway 8R to "escape" from underneath a thunderstorm that had approached from the west. He climbed the airplane east in a "clear corridor," with lightning to the north and south, to a cruise altitude of 9,000 feet mean sea level. At Carlsbad VHF Omni Directional Radio Range VOR, he requested direct LBB to avoid storms along the planned route over Hobbs VOR. He stated that there was moderate turbulence the entire route of flight. The airplane ground speed was 216 knots with a tailwind of 50 knots. He said that he approached LBB from the southwest where the surface winds were 260 degrees at 11 knots. The descent to LBB was "very bumpy." He planned to land on runway 35L because there were cells east and just west of LBB but changed his planned runway to 17R because of his greater familiarity with it. He again changed the planned runway to runway 35L because the turbulence increased as the western cell approached. He flew a left base for runway 35L and descended through "some" wind shear and turbulence before he turned on final. He said that a strong southwest wind caused him to overshoot the final approach segment. The airplane was a "little high and fast," and he was still dealing with wind shear bumps. He reduced engine power and maneuvered back to the runway center line. He performed a GUMPS check (gas, undercarriage, mixture, propellers), and descended the airplane to intercept the visual approach slope indicator glide path. He slowed the airplane to landing speed while applying half, then full flaps. During the last 100 feet of the descent to the runway, he was thinking that it would be a "nice landing." He then heard the sound of metal scraping runway. The airplane slid to the left of the runway centerline and stopped at intersection Juliet. The pilot stated the he did not recall seeing the landing gear position lights illuminated green. He said that he recited, but did not perform the GUMPS check, because he was "very focused" on controlling the airplane through the wind shear. He thought he landed the airplane gear-up, and at some point during the slide instinctively activated gear handle. He said that it was hard for him to believe, but he thinks, he left the landing gear up. Photos provided by theFederal Aviation Administration show the airplane on the runway with the left main landing gear extended and parallel to the vertical axis of the airplane, the right main landing gear extended and in the aft direction and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the airplane, and the nose landing gear retracted. According to the operator's maintenance personnel, during normal retraction of the landing gear, the right main landing gear will first begin retraction followed by the left main landing gear and then the nose landing gear. During gear extension, the nose landing gear will extend first, followed by the right main landing gear, and then the left main landing gear. If there was significant weight on one of the landing gear, then the sequence of extension/retraction could change. According to maintenance personnel from a fixed base operated at LBB that recovered the airplane, the landing gear selector handle was in the down position, and the left main landing gear was down and locked. When the airplane was raised and placed on jacks, the right main landing gear extended and locked into the down position. They then placed weight on the empennage, and pulled the nose landing gear down and it locked into position. The operator's maintenance personnel replaced one propeller and one engine and flew the airplane back to the operator's base in Kansas City, Missouri, under a ferry permit with no maintenance performed on the landing gear system. The operator's maintenance personnel stated that the airplane was flown back to the base with the landing gear extended. The operator's maintenance personnel retracted the landing gear after the airplane arrived at the base and the landing gear was reported to function normally. At the time the pilot was hired by the operator, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate a total flight time of about 1,177 hours, of which 15 hours were in multiengine airplanes and 113 hours were in complex airplanes. It was his first employment as a commercial air carrier pilot. On July 25, 2013, the pilot passed airman competency/proficiency checks under Parts 135.293, 135.297, and 135.299 that was provided by a company check airman. At the time of the accident, the pilot had a total flight time of 1,521 hours, of which 285 hours were in the make and model of the accident airplane. Weather radar mosaics and weather reports for LBB are included in the docket of this report.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N917GT](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N917GT-2020-10-07), registration cancelled 2020-10-07, S/N 500B-1137-77 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AERO COMMANDER 500 - B
- Registry model: [Aero Commander 500-B](https://openairdocs.org/model/aero-commander-500-b) (registry code 0141106) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 500B-1137-77
- Airframe hours: 24248
- Engines: Lycoming IO-540-E1A5 reciprocating; Lycoming IO-540-E1A5 reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 135
- Operator: Central Air Southwest
- Registered owner: Central Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: AAIP, August 1, 2013
- Departed: ELP, El Paso, TX
- Destination: LBB, Lubbock, TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: LBB, Lubbock Preston Smith Internat, runway 35L, 11,500 × 150 ft, concrete
- Equipment: Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 53; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 27, 2013; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 1,521 total, 285 in this make and model, 1,442 as pilot in command, 284 in the last 90 days, 110 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: 240° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 11,000 ft overcast
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observed at: LBB

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20131030021729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131030021729A), Oct 30, 2013: Aero Commander 500-B, Lubbock, TX, Substantial damage. On October 30, 2013, at 2140 CDT, an Aero Commander 500-B, bearing registration number N917GT, registered to central air southwest inc, landed on runway 35L at…

## Docket (9 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 20, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88455. 6.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 REDACTED (item 1, .PDF, 3.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415263&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20REDACTED-Redacted.PDF
- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Operator (item 2, .PDF, 897 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415264&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20-%20Operator-Master.PDF
- Weather Observations and Forecast (item 3, .PDF, 55 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415265&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Observations%20and%20Forecast-Master.PDF
- 2030 CST Weather Radar 1 of 2 (item 4, .PDF, 170 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415266&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=2030%20CST%20Weather%20Radar%201%20of%202-Master.PDF
- 2030 CST Weather Radar 2 of 2 (item 5, .PDF, 158 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415267&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=2030%20CST%20Weather%20Radar%202%20of%202-Master.PDF
- 2040 CST Weather Radar (item 6, .PDF, 169 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415268&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=2040%20CST%20Weather%20Radar-Master.PDF
- Record of Conversation – Recovery Personnel (item 7, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415269&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20%E2%80%93%20Recovery%20Personnel-Master.PDF
- Record of Correspondence – Operator Maintenance Personnel (item 8, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415270&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Correspondence%20%E2%80%93%20Operator%20Maintenance%20Personnel-Master.PDF
- Pilot Information REDACTED (item 9, .PDF, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415274&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Information%20REDACTED-Redacted.PDF

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.