Cessna 650 accident near Hutchinson, Kansas, December 10, 1988
On December 10, 1988 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Cessna 650, registered N61BE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hutchinson, Kansas (Hutchinson airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 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
- December 10, 1988 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Hutchinson, Kansas · Hutchinson · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 650 · all 650s on the register
- Registration
- N61BE · registry record · serial 650-0129
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PURPOSE OF FLIGHT WAS TO PREPARE THE LEFT-SEAT PILOT FOR A TYPE RATING, AND THIS WAS HIS FIRST LANDING SINCE COMPLETING GROUND SCHOOL. THERE WAS ANOTHER STUDENT IN THE JUMP SEAT, AND TWO MORE IN THE BACK OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 31; WINDS WERE FROM 010 DEGREES AT 16 KNOTS. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN A CRAB, BOUNCED, TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN IN A LEFT DRIFT, AND THEN THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. THE STUDENTS IN THE LEFT AND JUMP SEATS STATED THAT THE CFI CALLED FOR TOUCH-AND-GO; CFI STATED THAT HE DID NOT. THE FLAPS WERE FOUND IN THE FULL-DOWN POSITION. THE CFI HAD MADE ONLY 2 LANDINGS IN THE AIRPLANE DURING THE PREVIOUS 4 MONTHS. DURING POSTACCIDENT TESTING, GEAR WOULD NOT FREE FALL TO A LOCKED POSITION UNTIL WEIGHT INCREASED WELL BEYOND ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA. THE LEAD SEAL ON THE DOWN-AND-LOCKED INDICATOR SWITCH WAS MISSING. SWITCH ADJUSTED IN 1/16-INCH INCREMENTS; ADJUSTMENT INCONCLUSIVE. BLACK MATERIAL WAS FOUND IN THE LOCKING COLLAR, BUT WHETHER THE AMOUNT FOUND WOULD HAVE AFFECTED THE LOCK MECHANISM WAS ALSO INCONCLUSIVE.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,435 hours in all; 67 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 5,100 as pilot in command; 3,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 665 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 18, 1988; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 22,000 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Airesearch TFE-731-3B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jetcraft INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 7,000 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:19 pm from HUT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 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.