Cessna 441 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, July 3, 2009
On July 3, 2009 at about 11:40 am local time, a Cessna 441, registered N988AE, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Albuquerque International airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A malfunction of the landing gear selector switch and a loose fitting on the emergency extension system which rendered the landing gear system inoperable.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2009 · about 11:40 am local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Albuquerque International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Cessna 441 · all 441s on the register
- Registration
- N988AE · no longer on the register · serial 441-0175
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on final approach to the intended destination airport, the landing gear was selected and the landing gear circuit breaker popped. After initial troubleshooting of the system, the pilot initiated the "Landing Gear Will Not Extend Normally" checklist. The pilot activated the nitrogen blowdown bottle, but the landing gear did not extend. The pilot elected to land gear up utilizing a longer runway at an alternate airport. During the flare, the pilot shut off both engines, and the airplane settled on to the runway. An examination of the landing gear system found that a fitting had separated on the blowdown bottle system resulting in a failure of the emergency extension system. In addition, the airplane's operator discovered a faulty landing gear selector switch.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during approach defining event
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear selector › Malfunction
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Inoperative
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 3,400 as pilot in command; 600 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 23, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,299 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 14, 2009; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,165 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Airesearch TPE331 SERIES (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Airesearch TPE331 SERIES (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Evac Services INC
The flight
- Departed from: KAEG Albuquerque NM at 9:20 am
- Destination: KABQ Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 03, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; scat at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 11:48 am from KABQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 3 |
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.