Cessna 501 accident near Houston, Texas, May 20, 2020
On May 20, 2020, a 1979 Cessna 501, registered N501KM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Houston, Texas (William P Hobby airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The malfunction of the left main landing gear down lock, which resulted in a gear collapse upon landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 2020 · cases in 2020
- Place
- Houston, Texas · William P Hobby · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 501 No Series, built 1979 · all 501s on the register
- Registration
- N501KM · no longer on the register · serial 501-0101
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On final approach to his destination airport, the pilot lowered the landing gear for a full stop landing. He received two of three green landing gear down position indicator lights. The left main landing gear light was not illuminated, and a warning horn sounded. The pilot recycled the landing gear and received the same result. The pilot queried the tower and another airplane to confirm that his landing gear were extended, and both told the pilot that they saw all three gear extended. Consistent with airplane manufacturer guidance, the pilot then performed maneuvers to generate lateral G-force on the landing gear in an attempt to get a gear locked indication on the left main gear, which was not successful. Upon landing, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane veered off the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and underbelly of the airplane. Examination of the airplane’s landing gear system revealed the internal down lock mechanism of the left main landing gear actuator malfunctioned. The cockpit gear position indicator lights functioned normally. There were no recent logbook entries concerning anomalies with the left main landing gear.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear actuator › Malfunction other cases naming the landing gear
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,107 hours in all; 1,324 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 4,107 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 18, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,585 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, December 16, 2019; 104 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,850 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney JT15D-1A (turbofan); 5,484 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney JT15D-1A (turbofan); 5,585 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GNV Gainesville FL at 9:32 pm
- Destination: HOU Houston TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13R, 7,599 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 24, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NTSB Form 6120 Pilot Operator Report CEN20LA185 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for the Record Landing Gear Examination Findings CEN20LA185 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array CEN20LA185 | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N501KM: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Cessna 501 Citation I/SP 189 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney JT15D-1A 3 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney JT15D-1A 3 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- William P Hobby Airport · nearest airport
- Gainesville Regional · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,065 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,945 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN20LA185.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.