Cessna 401 accident near Arlington, Texas, May 22, 2025
On May 22, 2025 at about 5:41 pm local time, a 1967 Cessna 401, registered N3239Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Arlington, Texas (Arlington Muni airport). It was a flight test 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 failure of the left landing gear system and subsequent intentional gear up landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 2025 · about 5:41 pm local time
- Place
- Arlington, Texas · Arlington Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 401, built 1967 · all 401s on the register
- Registration
- N3239Q · registry record · serial 401-0039
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the airplane had undergone extensive maintenance and an annual inspection before being flown for the first time in about 25 years. During the third traffic pattern, the “left landing gear broke and necessitated a gear up landing.” The pilot landed the airplane with the landing gear retracted which resulted in substantial damage to the lower fuselage. According to the pilot, the left landing gear strut over extended and jammed itself into the wheel well. Additionally, he reported that the left main landing gear bell crank was fractured which appeared to have possibly been damaged during a previous gear-up landing in 1998.
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 (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,193.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16/3, 6,080 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KGKY
Weather report (METAR): KGKY 221753Z 11009KT 10SM CLR 31/22 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP140 T03060222 10306 20217 58012,M
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 5, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 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.
Other NTSB records under N3239Q 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.