Aero Commander 500B accident near Hutchinson, Kansas, July 29, 1991
On July 29, 1991 at about 12:12 pm local time, a Aero Commander 500B, registered N120EL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hutchinson, Kansas (Hutchinson airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 LANDING GEAR HANDLE WAS PLACED IN THE GEAR UP POSTION PREMATURELY RESULTING IN A GEAR RETRACTION DURING TAKEOFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE PROPER PROCEDURES WERE NOT FOLLOWED BY THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 1991 · about 12:12 pm local time
- Place
- Hutchinson, Kansas · Hutchinson · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500B · all 500Bs on the register
- Registration
- N120EL · no longer on the register · serial 1312-147
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT HE INADVERTENTLY PLACED THE GEAR SELECTOR IN THE 'GEAR UP' POSITION PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. DURING THE GROUND RUN THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT SLID TO A STOP.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,706 hours in all; 1,482 in this make and model; 258 in the last 90 days; 66 in the last 30 days; 2,191 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-E1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Central Air-Southwest
The flight
- Destination: DDC Dodge City KS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35, 4,251 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:45 am from HUT, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.