Cessna 172RG accident near Pearland, Texas, April 3, 2022
On April 3, 2022 at about 4:40 pm local time, a 1980 Cessna 172RG, registered N5338V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Pearland, Texas (Pearland Regional Airport). It was an instructional flight 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
The flight instructor's failure to extend the landing gear and perform a before landing checklist.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 2022 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Pearland, Texas · Pearland Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG, built 1980 · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N5338V · registry record · serial 172RG0509
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that he and pilot receiving instruction had performed eight takeoffs and landings without incident. The flight instructor’s procedure was to perform the checklist items and select landing gear down when established on downwind in the traffic pattern. During the final traffic pattern, they became distracted and did not perform the checklist. The pilot receiving instruction reported that they did not lower the landing gear during the final approach and the airplane landed wheels up. The airplane sustained damage to the lower fuselage structure during the landing. Video footage provided by the airport manager showed the airplane’s landing gear fully retracted during the approach. Neither pilot recalled hearing the landing gear warning horn prior to the gear up landing. The mechanic that recovered and examined the airplane after the accident reported that the landing gear extended normally, and the landing gear warning horn was audible.
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 not configured during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,511 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 7,318 as pilot in command; 4,910 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 27, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 80 hours in all; 3 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 14, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,693 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 21, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LVJ Pearland TX at 3:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 4,313 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from KLVJ
Weather report (METAR): KLVJ 031653Z AUTO 13010G17KT 10SM CLR 24/14 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP164 T02440139
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on May 2, 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Record of Conversation with Mechanic | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N5338V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.