Grumman TMB-3E accident near Glendale, Arizona, March 17, 2014
On March 17, 2014 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1948 Grumman TMB-3E, registered N53503, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Glendale, Arizona (Glendale Municpal airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot inadvertently raised the landing gear lever rather than the adjacent flap level while exiting the runway which resulted in the retraction of the left main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 17, 2014 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Glendale, Arizona · Glendale Municpal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman TMB-3E, built 1948
- Registration
- N53503 · registry record · serial 53503
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that after landing and during the turn onto a taxiway intersection, he inadvertently raised the landing gear lever by mistake, rather than the adjacent flap lever. The left landing gear collapsed, which caused the left wing tip to strike the ground. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented had he waited until he was clear of the runway, stopped, and identified the flap switch. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Incorrect use/operation
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,377 hours in all; 248 in this make and model
- Last flight review: January 17, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,792 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 8, 2014; 3.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 17,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Wright R2600-20 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LUF Glendale AZ at 4:45 pm
- Destination: GEU Glendale AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 7,150 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 76 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on May 16, 2014. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot’s Statement to FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.