# NTSB DEN01LA052: Cessna 441, N24PT, Englewood, CO, February 13, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 12, 2001, 20:18 local (Feb 13, 2001, 03:18 UTC) - Place: Englewood, CO - Coordinates: 39.580657, -104.859687 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5807&lon=-104.8597&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 20, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 51739 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN01LA052 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/51739/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01LA052 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to verify that the landing gear was down and locked before landing, which resulted in a wheels-up landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Wheels up landing, landing - flare/touchdown - gear extension - not verified, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The pilot was cleared to land and he placed the landing gear handle in the DOWN position. According to the pilot, the landing gear collapsed on touch down. The pilot said the landing gear warning horn never sounded. He further stated that on the previous flight, he had to cycle the flaps several times to get them to extend, and after landing, he could not retract the flaps. A post accident examination revealed the landing gear doors were closed and bore no damage. With the airplane on jacks and an external hydraulic power unit connected to the hydraulic system, the landing gear was cycled up and down 20 times with no faults detected. ## Factual narrative On February 12, 2001, at 2018 mountain standard time, N24PT, a Cessna 441, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during landing at Centennial Airport, Englewood, Colorado. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an IFR flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Mobile, Alabama, at approximately 1700 central daylight time. According to the pilot's accident report and a subsequent telephone interview, the pilot said he was cleared to land on runway 35L. He wrote: "(I) lowered the landing gear switch. On final I put my hand on the switch to insure it was in the down position. My wife . . . said she saw me do this." The pilot said the landing gear collapsed on touch down, and that the landing gear warning horn never sounded. A post accident examination disclosed extensive damage to the airplane's lower spar cap, and to both the left and right inboard flap tracks. The pilot also stated that during a previous flight, from Lakeland, Florida, to Mobile, Alabama, he had to cycle the flaps several times to get them to extend. After landing, he could not retract the flaps. "Both the landing gear and flaps are hydraulically operated and activated by an electrical switch," he wrote. Straight Flight, a repair station on the airport, was asked to retrieve the airplane. They submitted a report as to their findings. Upon entering the airplane, personnel noted that the landing gear handle was in the DOWN position. They said the landing gear doors were closed and they bore no damage. They reported that when the landing gear on the Cessna 441 extends and retracts, only one main landing gear moves, followed by the other main landing gear, and then followed by the nose landing gear. The airplane was lifted on maintenance jacks and the landing gear was lowered using the emergency gear extension system. The gear DOWN AND LOCKED lights illuminated. On March 6, an external hydraulic power unit was attached to the airplane's hydraulic system, and 20 fault free cycles were performed. No faults were detected. Damage to both inboard flap track assemblies precluded a similar test of the flaps. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N24PT](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N24PT), registered now, S/N 4410015, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 441 - Registry model: [Cessna 441](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-441) (registry code 2076020) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [AiResearch TPE331 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/airesearch-tpe331-series) (registry code 01514, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 441-0015 - Airframe hours: 4000 - Engines: Garrett TPE331-8-403S 636 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, January 1, 2001, 18 hours before - Departed: MOB, Mobile, AL - Destination: APA, Englewood, CO - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: APA, Centennial, runway 35R, 10,002 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review May 1, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 11,660 total, 190 in this make and model, 11,660 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: variable at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 30 °F, dew point 21 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: APA ## 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 20010212004009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010212004009A), Feb 12, 2001: Cessna 441, Denver, CO, No damage. (-23) Mr. Horwitz was cleared to land on runway 35R at Centennial Airport in englewood, Colorado. Mr. Horwitz did not lower the gear for landing and therefore,… 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.