# Accident 20180121001059A: Cessna 210D, Sussex, NJ, January 21, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 21, 2018, 02:50 local time
- Place: Sussex, NJ
- Airport: Sussex
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.2986° N, 74.5201° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.2986&lon=-74.5201&mi=10
- Aircraft: N884KM, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N884KM-2021-04-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 210D (registry code 2073414, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-210d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 210D
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 140 total, 50 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA115](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA115) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180121001059A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

24 DAYS AFTER RECEIVING HIS PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE, THE PILOT^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CONDUCTED A PERSONAL FLIGHT FROM MPO TO HIS HOME BASE AT FWN, AT APPROXIMATELY 2:20 AM LOCAL TIME. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN WITH LANDING GEAR RETRACTED, SLID ON THE BELLY AND CAUGHT FIRE. BOTH OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY. VFR NIGHT CONDITIONS PREVAILED, THERE WAS NO RUNWAY CONTAMINATION AND WIND WAS INSIGNIFICANT. THE PILOT PURCHASED THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT LESS THAN TWO MINTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

MARKS ON THE RUNWAY SUGGEST THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY ONE THIRD DOWN RUNWAY 3 WITH THE GEAR UP AND ENGINE AT IDLE POWER. DAMAGE SIGNATURES ON THE PROPELLER SUGGEST THE PROPELLER CONTACTED THE RUNWAY WITH THE ENGINE MAKING IDLE POWER. THE AIRCRAFT SLID APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET AND CAME TO REST ON THE CENTERLINE ORIENTED ON RUNWAY HEADING, AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY CONSUMED BY FIRE. WRECKAGE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THE RIGHT FUEL HEADER TANK QUICK DRAIN LODGED OPEN BY CONTACT WITH AND DAMAGE FROM THE RUNWAY, PROVIDING AN UNINTERRUPTED SOURCE OF FUEL. ANOTHER LIKELY SOURCE OF FUEL IS THE MAIN FUEL STRAINER GLASS BOWL LOCATED IN THE NOSE WHEEL WELL (FUEL STRAINER AND ELECTRIC FUEL PUMPS WERE NOT LOCATED AND ASSUMED TO BE CONSUMED BY FIRE). AERODYNAMIC AND POWERPLANT PRE-ACCIDENT CONTROL CONTINUITY COULD NOT BE DETERMINED TO DO FIRE DAMAGE.

IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR ABOUT FIVE MILES FROM THE RUNWAY AND RECALLS SEEING THE GREEN LIGHT. HE ALSO STATES THAT IT IS POSSIBLE HE INADVERTENTLY SELECTED GEAR UP WHILE USING THE ADJACENT MANUAL TRIM WHEEL DURING THE APPROACH.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB GAA18CA115](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA115), Jan 21, 2018: Cessna 210 (N884KM), Sussex, NJ, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadvertent landing gear retraction during approach.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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