Cessna T337B accident near Dothan, Alabama, March 24, 2012
On March 24, 2012 at about 10:11 pm local time, a Cessna T337B, registered N2334S, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Dothan, Alabama (Dothan Regional Airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the landing gear to extend and lock, despite troubleshooting attempts using normal and emergency procedures. The reason for the failure could not be determined because the systems were unavailable for testing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 24, 2012 · about 10:11 pm local time
- Place
- Dothan, Alabama · Dothan Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T337B · all T337Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2334S · no longer on the register · serial 337-0634
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After flying in the local area for about 1.8 hours, the pilot returned to the departure airport. However, when he placed the landing gear selector handle to the down position before landing, the gear did not fully extend and lock into position. The pilot said that he attempted to lower the landing gear manually using the emergency landing gear selector handle but reported that he felt great resistance after several pump strokes. He then pitched the airplane up then pushed the control yoke forward, which fully raised the landing gear (as he intended), then he attempted numerous times to extend the landing gear without success. The pilot proceeded to an alternate airport, where he performed a low pass by the air traffic control tower and was informed that the landing gear was in an “unsafe” position. He again raised the landing gear and returned to the alternate airport for a gear-up landing. He landed on the grass adjacent to the paved runway with the front propeller feathered and in a horizontal position in compliance with the procedures spelled out in the Pilot’s Operating Handbook. The airplane slid for about 200 feet before coming to rest upright. Postaccident, the airplane was raised with jacks, and a mechanic attempted to lower the landing gear using the emergency gear extension handle. The nose landing gear went into the down and locked position; however, the mechanic reported that the main landing gear only extended through about half of its cycle before the emergency gear extension handle “…came into a hydraulic lock." The mechanic was able to manually push the main landing gears into the locked position, and the airplane was lowered from the jacks. The airplane’s hydraulic powerpack was not available for testing; no cause for the landing gear malfunction could be determined.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during approach defining event
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Malfunction
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,322 hours in all; 5 in this make and model
- Last flight review: January 31, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor IO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EDN Enterprise AL at 7:05 pm
- Destination: DHN Dothan AL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from DHN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 ERA12LA273.