Cessna 402B accident near Hobbs, New Mexico, September 10, 2007
On September 10, 2007 at about 2:38 pm local time, a Cessna 402B, registered N402BF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hobbs, New Mexico (Lea County Regional Airport). It was flown 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 failure of the left main landing gear down lock due to overload causing the main landing gear to collapse.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2007 · about 2:38 pm local time
- Place
- Hobbs, New Mexico · Lea County Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402B · all 402Bs on the register
- Registration
- N402BF · registry record · serial 402B-1076
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that on approach he put the landing gear handle down and the left main landing gear down indicator light failed to illuminate. The pilot notified the air traffic control tower and executed a go-around. The pilot then raised the landing gear handle and lowered it again with the same result. During final approach the pilot reduced power on the engines to check the gear unsafe audible warning. The warning did not sound and the pilot elected to land the airplane with the unsafe gear indication. The pilot requested that tower controllers confirm that the landing gear was down. The controllers informed the pilot that the gear appeared to be down. On landing, the left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane departed the side of the runway and struck a taxiway sign, resulting in substantial damage.
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, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,616 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Teledyne Continental TSIO-520EB (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Teledyne Continental TSIO-520EB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aero Charter And Transport
The flight
- Departed from: ROW Roswell NM at 2:00 pm
- Destination: HOB Hobbs NM
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 03, 7,398 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,100 ft; scat at 300 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from KHOB
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.