Beech BE-55 accident near San Bernardino, California, January 27, 2001
On January 27, 2001 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Beech BE-55, registered N1280Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Bernardino, California (San Bernardino Internatioanl airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot under instruction to extend the landing gear during the landing approach. A factor was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 27, 2001 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- San Bernardino, California · San Bernardino Internatioanl · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-55
- Registration
- N1280Z · registry record · serial TC-94
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was engaged in traffic pattern work and had completed a series of touch-and-go's. On final approach to landing the landing gear was not extended. The pilot under instruction stated he forgot to lower the landing gear. The flight instructor did not recall hearing a gear condition alert. Both the student and instructor noticed the landing gear warning system working as they did their pattern work prior to the accident. The instructor did state that the student was carrying more engine power for this approach.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane
- Last flight review: January 14, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 751 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 24, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,178 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 25, 2000; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,880 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental cs-914-84-4-l (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CCB Upland CA at 7:14 pm
- Destination: SBD San Bernardino CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 10,001 ft by 180 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; a few clouds at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from KRIV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.