- Date
- September 4, 1998, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lancaster, TX
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3239QCessna 401
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 19, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980904047199A
- Case key
- 43890
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot was in the local landing pattern doing touch and go landings. After touchdown during the third landing, he added power for takeoff and intended to 'raise' the 'flap' lever. He inadvertently raised the landing gear lever. Subsequently, the right main landing gear collapsed and the aircraft skidded off the runway. The pilot had been flying a Beech Bonanza previously, and the landing gear lever on the Cessna 401 is located where the flap lever is on the Bonanza. He had a total of 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.
Factual narrative
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 total of 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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3239Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 401
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 0039
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-E, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- R. E. Turner & W. E. Russell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- LNC
- Airport
- LNC · Lancaster Municipal, runway 13, 4,999 × 100 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 697 total · 16 in this make and model · 635 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 106 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RBD, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N3239Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.