Cessna 441 accident near Thermal, California, January 3, 2005
On January 3, 2005 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Cessna 441, registered N441CX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Thermal, California (Jacqueline Cochran Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's misjudged speed and distance, which resulted in a failure to attain the proper touchdown point and a subsequent overrun of the runway. A factor in the accident was limited braking effectiveness resulting from the wet runway condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 3, 2005 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Thermal, California · Jacqueline Cochran Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 441 · all 441s on the register
- Registration
- N441CX · no longer on the register · serial 441-305
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane encountered muddy terrain and collapsed the nose landing gear during a landing overrun. The pilot reported that as he approached his destination he prepared for an instrument approach to the airport. The pilot descended via the approach to an altitude of about 800 feet, at which point he was able to identify the runway environment and transition to a visual approach. Throughout the approach, the pilot reported encountering moderate rain and restricted visibility. The airplane's speed during the approach was about 120 knots, varying slightly with configuration changes required during descents and transitions to level flight. During landing, the airplane touched down hard, about halfway down the 4,995-foot-long runway, and bounced twice. The pilot reported that once established in the landing rollout, he applied full brakes and configured the propellers in full reverse thrust, attempting to stop before the end of the runway. The pilot said that although the runway was absent of noticeable standing water, the moderate rain and wet conditions hindered braking effectiveness. The airplane continued off the runway and impacted terrain resulting in the collapse of the nose gear. The pilot was unable to remember the speed at which the airplane touched, but opined that it was about 100 knots, the normal touchdown speed for the airplane. The Airplane Flying Handbook states that "hydroplaning can have serious adverse effects on ground controllability and braking efficiency" and recommends that "touchdown speed should be as slow as possible consistent with safety."
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,763 hours in all; 454 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GJT Grand Juncition CO
- Destination: TRM Thermal CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 30, 4,995 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N441CX the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.