Cessna T337G accident near Upland, California, April 16, 2023
On April 16, 2023 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 1973 Cessna T337G, registered N38C, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Upland, California (Cable airport). It was a personal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to properly flare the airplane, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to fly a nonstandard traffic pattern, which resulted in an unstable approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 2023 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Upland, California · Cable · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T337G, built 1973 · all T337Gs on the register
- Registration
- N38C · no longer on the register · serial P3370097
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, on the downwind leg, the green landing gear indicator lights did not illuminate when he extended the gear. He then went through the emergency landing gear extension checklist and noted that the landing gear pump handle had high resistance, indicating to him that the landing gear was down. He felt excessive drag and suspected that the main landing gear doors were open. The pilot stated that he conducted a low pass over the runway and made a radio call requesting visual confirmation of the gear being down and locked, but no response was received. The pilot reported that flaring the airplane during the landing was very difficult due to the open gear doors and the nose gear and left main landing gear collapsed on touchdown. Automatic dependent surveillance - broadcast (ADS-B) data showed the airplane making a normal crosswind turn and then angling toward the runway threshold before making a tight left base turn to the final leg of the pattern. The airplane landed hard, short, and to the right of the runway threshold. The left main landing gear and the nose landing gear collapsed due to the hard landing, and the left wing sustained substantial damage. A postaccident examination of the landing gear system revealed that all three landing gear were in the down and locked position when the airplane touched down. Further examination revealed that the left landing gear limit switch was not functioning properly, rendering it unable to sequence the door solenoid valve to the door close position. This resulted in the main landing gear doors remaining open, causing excessive drag. The pilot's execution of an overly tight base turn, likely exceeding the critical angle of attack, and the increased drag caused by the open main landing gear doors, likely led to the pilot not properly flaring the airplane, which resulted in a hard landing.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Abrupt maneuver during approach (VFR pattern base)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Hard landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear door retract sec › Malfunction
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Mental/emotional state › Anxiety/panic › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 600 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,471 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 4,700 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TSIO360CB (piston); 198 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental TSIO360CB (piston); 2,083 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,863 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 9:35 am from KCCB
Weather report (METAR): KCCB 161635Z AUTO 26003KT 10SM CLR 14/09 A3012 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on November 7, 2024. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Landing Gear Examination Report | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 4 | ADS-B Data | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | 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.