Cessna 501 accident near Bermuda Dunes, California, April 26, 1986
On April 26, 1986 at about 3:45 am local time, a Cessna 501, registered N46MT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bermuda Dunes, California (Bermuda Dunes airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 1986 · about 3:45 am local time
- Place
- Bermuda Dunes, California · Bermuda Dunes · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 501 · all 501s on the register
- Registration
- N46MT · registry record · serial 501-0689
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BASED ON THE FLT'S LANDING WEIGHT, AN APPROACH REF SPEED OF 99 KNOTS WAS CALCULATED BY THE PILOT. HE REPORTED THAT 115 KNOTS WAS USED DURING THE APPROACH. THE PILOT SAID THAT DURING THE DESCENT TO THE AIRPORT, ONE AIRCRAFT WAS HEARD TO MAKE A GO-AROUND 'DUE TO WINDS, BUT LANDED SUCCESSFULLY ON THE SECOND LANDING.' AT BETWEEN 50 AND 35 FT AGL ON SHORT FINAL TO RWY 29, THE PILOT NOTED THE AIRSPEED 'INSTANTANEOUSLY WENT FROM 115 KTS TO 85 KTS,' AND FULL POWER APPLICATION AND CONTROL INPUTS TO ARREST THE DESCENT DID NOT STOP THE AIRCRAFT FROM TOUCHING DOWN HARD ON THE RWY. THE AIRPORT MANAGER ESTIMATED THAT THE WINDS AT THE TIME WERE FROM THE NW AT 15 GUSTING 30 TO 35 KTS. THE TWEB RTE 426 FORCAST, WHICH INCLUDED THE AREA OF THE AIRPORT, STATED THAT 'NW WINDS ACROSS RIDGES AND THRU PASSES BETWEEN 20 AND 45 KTS WITH LOCALLY HIGHER GUSTS' IN ADDITION TO 'MTN WAVE CONDITIONS WITH AREAS OF WIND SHEAR' WERE EXPECTED.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 11,850 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT15D-1B (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LBB Lubbock TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 29, 4,030 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 310° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:46 am from PSP, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
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.