Cessna 560XL accident near Eugene, Oregon, April 27, 2012
On April 27, 2012 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 560XL, registered N101PG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Eugene, Oregon (Mahlon Sweet Field Airport). It was an executive or corporate 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
An uncommanded landing gear retraction after touchdown for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 2012 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Eugene, Oregon · Mahlon Sweet Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 560XL · all 560XLs on the register
- Registration
- N101PG · registry record · serial 560-5590
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot-in-command (PIC) reported that, during the visual approach to the airport, he and the second-in-command (SIC) lowered the landing gear and verified that all cockpit indications showed that the landing gear were in the down-and-locked position. The airplane touched down smoothly on the main landing gear (MLG) and then touched down on the nose landing gear (NLG). The PIC had his hand on the thrust reversers when he and the SIC heard the landing gear unsafe horn; the left MLG then collapsed followed immediately by the collapse of the right MLG and the NLG. The airplane slid on its belly for about 1,500 ft before it came to rest on the runway. Cockpit voice recorder data confirmed that the unsafe landing gear configuration warning did not occur before touchdown as reported by the PIC. Postaccident examination revealed that, although the landing gear handle was in the down-and-locked position, all of the landing gear were fully retracted and engaged in their respective uplocks. Extensive testing of the airplane's hydraulic and electrical systems did not reveal any malfunctions that would have resulted in an uncommanded gear retraction. Some small, fine particulate matter was observed within the hydraulic manifold assembly; however, testing was unable to determine if these particles contributed to the uncommanded landing gear retraction.
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 collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,600 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 3,500 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 11, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,519 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 190 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 15, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,937 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 21, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 20,400 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PW545 SER (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PW545 SER (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pape Group INC
The flight
- Departed from: APA Denver CO at 7:30 pm
- Destination: EUG Eugene OR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16R, 8,009 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 9:41 pm from EUG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.