Swearingen SA26 accident near Hondo, Texas, July 28, 2017
On July 28, 2017 at about 4:15 pm local time, a 1970 Swearingen SA26, registered N541GF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Hondo, Texas (South Texas Rgnl At Hondo airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear before landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2017 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hondo, Texas · South Texas Rgnl At Hondo · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Swearingen SA26 AT, built 1970 · all SA26s on the register
- Registration
- N541GF · registry record · serial T26-173
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a retractable-landing gear-equipped airplane reported that he landed with the landing gear extended. He added that, during the landing, the airplane bounced, and the "landing gear retracted and the aircraft settled onto its belly." The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that he "may have failed to deploy the landing gear" and did not recall hearing the gear warning horn. A flight instructor witness reported that, while his student was performing an engine run-up, he saw the airplane on final about 400 ft from the threshold with the landing gear retracted. He added that he thought the airplane was going to do a low approach, so he turned to check on his student, but when he looked back up, he saw "the [airplane] was on the runway" sliding. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that, when he arrived on scene, he observed the gear handle in the "up" position.
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 defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,336 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,211 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 27, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,205.2 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 12, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 10,000 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Honeywell TPE331-6-252 (turboprop); 6,854 hours total
- Engine 2: Honeywell TPE331-6-252 (turboprop); 6,850 hours total
- Operator: Fmg Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: 5C1 San Antonio TX at 2:30 pm
- Destination: HDO Hondo TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17L, 6,002 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 pm from KHDO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on October 16, 2017. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Witness Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation - FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.