Cessna 550 accident near Covington, Kentucky, November 30, 1989
On November 30, 1989 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Cessna 550, registered N171LE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Covington, Kentucky (Greater Cincinnati airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR AND INADEQUATE MONITORING BY THE CHECK PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN A WHEELS-UP LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 30, 1989 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Covington, Kentucky · Greater Cincinnati
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 550 · all 550s on the register
- Registration
- N171LE · registry record · serial 325
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,509 hours in all; 560 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 9,110 as pilot in command; 3,042 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,058 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 26, 1989; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 13,300 lb
- Seats: 12
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT15D-4 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CVG Cincinnati OH at 4:00 pm
- Destination: CVG Cincinnati OH
- Runway 18, 9,501 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from CVG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.