Casualties unknown

Partial Electrical Failure and Landing Gear Collapse During Night Flight (N968JW)

MC Allen, TX, US

On January 4, 2003, a Cessna 401 (registration N968JW) operated by International Air Services was involved in an aviation accident near MC Allen, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to manually extend the landing gear to the full down and locked position. A contributing faction was a loss of electrical power, which resulted in the failure of the landing gear to extend. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

An airplane experienced a partial loss of electrical power at night, leading to landing gear extension issues and a runway excursion after the left main gear collapsed.

Incident Overview

A single-engine airplane (type not specified) encountered a partial loss of electrical power while en route at night. The pilot attempted to electrically extend the landing gear, but the gear did not deploy. Subsequently, the pilot manually extended the landing gear; however, the three green annunciator lights confirming that the landing gear was extended and locked did not illuminate.

Approach and Landing

Without radio communications, the pilot received an air traffic control clearance to land via a steady green light gun signal. During the landing roll, the left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane then exited the runway, struck a runway sign, spun 180 degrees, and came to rest upright.

Investigation Findings

The investigation did not determine the reason for the partial loss of electrical power. No further information regarding the aircraft, occupants, or injuries was provided in the source.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20030109X00038. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.