Cessna 750 accident near Mesa, Arizona, September 7, 2022
On September 7, 2022 at about 9:53 pm local time, a Cessna 750, registered N15TZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Mesa, Arizona (Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper decision to depart on the accident flight with a known hydraulic leak, resulting in an in-flight hydraulic system failure, and the pilot’s attempt to land during an unstabilized approach, which resulted in a loss of control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 2022 · about 9:53 pm local time
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 750 · all 750s on the register
- Registration
- N15TZ · registry record · serial 750-0127
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and copilot departed on a repositioning flight in the twin-engine jet with a known hydraulic leak. The leak was identified before the flight, but the origin of the leak was unknown at the time. Shortly after departing, the landing gear would not retract. The pilots troubleshot the problem, attempted to retract the landing gear multiple times, and realized they had lost the hydraulic fluid in the system used for gear retraction. The flight diverted to an alternate airport; during the landing, the left landing gear tire blew out and the wheel and tire wore down to near the axle on one side of the wheel. The airplane came to rest near the runway and the right main landing gear collapsed. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the nose landing gear centering hydraulic flexible line was frayed and leaked near the upper fitting. This damage resulted in the complete depletion of the hydraulic System A fluid during the crew’s multiple attempts to retract the gear during flight. The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was downloaded and revealed that, after the landing gear was confirmed in the down position, the pilot reported that they had all the flaps possible extended since they were limited to 15° (per the airplane flight manual [AFM] “LANDING WITH NO ‘A’ SYSTEM PRESSURE” checklist). A few minutes later the crew discussed the flaps again and referred to the flight manual before setting the flaps to the full down position, contrary to the checklist. For the airplane’s reported weight at the time of the landing, the reference landing speed (Vref) specified by the checklist was between 137 and 138 knots; however, the Vref airspeed was exceeded by 17 knots, resulting in a fast landing to a runway with a downhill gradient that constituted an unstabilized approach. The fast landing and selection of a runway with a downhill gradient, both contrary to the referenced checklist, likely contributed to the blown main tires and the loss of control during the landing roll.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during initial climb defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Hydraulic power system › Hydraulic, main system › Failure
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Copilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Cabin crew
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Hydraulic fluid › Related operating info
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of equipment › Cabin crew
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Cabin crew
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › CRM/MRM techniques › Cabin crew
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Incorrect use/operation
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
- Flight time: 15,600 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 15,300 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 26, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 190 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 3,200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 21, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,774.8 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 18, 2022; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 36,400 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royce AS3007C (turbojet); 2,774 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royce AE3007C (turbojet); 2,774 hours total
- Operator: Bvs, Inc
The flight
- Departed from: KTUS Tucson AZ at 9:30 pm
- Destination: KCID Cedar Rapids IA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 30L, 10,401 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 60°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 2994.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from IWA
Weather report (METAR): METAR KIWA 092147Z 32003KT 10SM BKN080 35/15 A2968
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR22LA341.