# NTSB ATL01LA112: Cessna 210K, N9455M, Bessemer, AL, September 18, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 17, 2001, 20:23 local (Sep 18, 2001, 01:23 UTC) - Place: Bessemer, AL - Coordinates: 33.319225, -86.970741 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3192&lon=-86.9707&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 28, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviatiion Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 53488 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL01LA112 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53488/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL01LA112 ## Probable cause Failure of the landing gear-down lock mechanism, which resulted in the pilot's inability to control the airplane. A factor was the trees. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Gear collapsed, landing - roll - landing gear,gear locking mechanism - failure,total (cause) - aircraft control - not possible, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - tree(s) (contributing factor) ## Analysis According to the pilot, during landing roll, the airplane drifted to the right. The pilot applied left rudder and brakes, which failed to correct the right drift. The airplane then suddenly banked to the right and departed the runway and impacted trees. Examination of the airplane found the right main landing gear was collapsed. The horizontal stabilizer, empennage, wings, ailerons, and lower fuselage sustained damage. Additional examination found a faulty down-lock switch in the right main landing gear. ## Factual narrative On September 17, 2001, at 2023 central daylight time, a Cessna 210K, N9455M, registered to Air Carriers, Inc., and operated by the commercial pilot, collided with trees off the right side of runway 23 during landing roll following a collapse of the right main landing gear at the Bessemer Airport, in Bessemer, Alabama. The cargo flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 135 with an IFR flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated in Gainesville, Georgia, at 1930. According to the pilot, the approach and touchdown were normal with the green landing gear light illuminated. During landing roll, the pilot began slowing the airplane and it started drifting to the right. The pilot applied left rudder and brakes, which failed to correct the right drift. The airplane then suddenly banked to the right and departed the runway and impacted trees. Before exiting the airplane, the pilot noticed the green landing gear light was still illuminated. Examination of the airplane found the right main landing gear was collapsed. The horizontal stabilizer, empennage, wings, ailerons, and lower fuselage sustained damage. Additional examination found a faulty down-lock switch in the right main landing gear. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9455M](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9455M-2005-08-18), registration cancelled 2005-08-18, S/N 21059355, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 210K - Registry model: [Cessna 210K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-210k) (registry code 2073446) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 21059355 - Airframe hours: 3697 - Engines: Continental IO-520L 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Air Carriers Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 15, 2001, 69 hours before - Departed: GVL, Gainsville, GA - Destination: EKY, Bessemer, AL - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: EKY, Bessemer, runway 23, 5,700 × 100 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 22; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 1,219 total, 275 in this make and model, 1,155 as pilot in command, 204 in the last 90 days, 119 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: calm - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.09 inHg - Observed at: ANB, 75 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20010917026279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010917026279A), Sep 17, 2001: Cessna 210K, Bessemer, AL, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot stated after landing, aircraft began veering to the right. Pilot applied rudder first then brakes and could not straighten aircraft. Aircraft… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.