Cessna 550 accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, March 27, 2023
On March 27, 2023 at about 5:26 pm local time, a Cessna 550, registered N550DW, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Wiley Post airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing, runway excursion, and subsequent collision with a runway sign. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of experience in the airplane, the unstabilized approach, and inadequate crew resource management.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 2023 · about 5:26 pm local time
- Place
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · Wiley Post · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 550 · all 550s on the register
- Registration
- N550DW · no longer on the register · serial 550-0487
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he had recently completed his initial training, and the accident flight was his first flight in the airplane. The pilot entered the traffic pattern with the autopilot engaged and was told by the co-pilot to “keep it tight.” The autopilot did not command a steep enough bank, and the pilot disconnected the autopilot in an attempt to align with the runway centerline. On final approach about 50 ft above ground level (agl), the airplane was aligned to the right of the runway centerline. The airplane landed hard, bounced multiple times, exited the runway, and impacted a runway sign. The pilot then executed a go-around and landed without further incident at an alternate airport. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that prior to and during the flight, challenge-response checklist reading was not utilized between he and the co-pilot, and callouts were not used below 1,000 ft agl.
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
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (aborted after touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › CRM/MRM techniques › Flight crew
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Flight crew
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,302 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,208 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,986.1 hours in all; 50 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt And Whitney (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt And Whitney (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Xceed Management Group LLC
The flight
- Departed from: KPEA Pella IA at 3:30 pm
- Destination: KPWA Oklahoma City OK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35R, 7,199 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from KPWA, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPWA 271653Z 06007KT 10SM CLR 08/M01 A3018 RMK AO2 SLP222 T00781006,M
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN23LA148.