# NTSB ATL98LA130: Cessna 210L, N300EW, Orlando, FL, September 26, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 25, 1998, 21:56 local (Sep 26, 1998, 01:56 UTC) - Place: Orlando, FL - Coordinates: 28.489931, -81.289901 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.4899&lon=-81.2899&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 19, 1999 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 44044 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL98LA130 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/44044/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA130 ## Probable cause A 6-8 inch crack on the right main landing gear strut, which allowed the hydraulic fluid to escape from the system, along with a power pack sequencing valve failure which allowed the main landing gear to fold on landing. A factor in the accident was the pilots execution of a night landing without her prescribed eye glasses. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Gear collapsed, landing - landing gear - malfunction (cause) - landing gear,normal retraction/extension assembly - frozen (cause) - emergency procedure - performed, pilot in command (contributing factor) - correcting lenses, not worn, pilot in command (contributing factor) ## Analysis According to the pilot, an unsafe landing gear indication occurred prior to landing at her destination. The pilot then stuck her head out of the airplanes window to visually inspect the landing gear, allowing her eye glasses to be blown off. After she talked with her company, it was decided that she return to Orlando, where there was better maintenance and other facilities to deal with the problem. Compounding the landing gear problem was the fact that the pilot had to make a night landing without her prescribed eyeglasses. Upon landing the main gear collapsed. The airplane skidded and did a 180-degree turn on the runway, coming to rest in a nose high attitude, with the weight of the airplane on the horizontal stabilizer. This resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. The pilot was not injured. A post crash inspection of the airplane, by company maintenance personnel, revealed a crack in the right main landing gear actuator and the power pack sequencing valve was operating incorrectly. ## Factual narrative On September 25, 1998, about 2156 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 210L, N300EW, experienced a landing gear failure while landing at the Orlando Executive airport, Orlando, Florida. The airplane was operated by Flight Express as Flight 106, under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 135, and instrument flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed. The commercial pilot and sole occupant was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from Orlando, Florida, at 1900. According to the pilot, an un-safe landing gear indication occurred prior to landing at her destination, Saint Augustine, Florida. She diverted to Craig Field in Jacksonville, FL, for a visual inspection by the tower personnel. They were unable to verify that she had a gear problem. The pilot then stuck her head out of the airplanes window to visually inspect the landing gear, allowing her eye glasses to be blown off. After she talked with her Company, it was decided that she return to Orlando, where there was better maintenance and other facilities to deal with the problem. Compounding the landing gear problem was the fact that the pilot had to make a night landing without her prescribed eye glasses. Upon landing the main gear collapsed, and the pilot lost control, the airplane did a 180 degree turn on the runway. A post accident inspection of the airplane by company mechanics, revealed a 6-8 inch crack on the right main landing gear actuator, with the actuator housing only half full of hydraulic fluid. They also discovered that the power pack sequencing valve, for the landing gear, was locked up and could not be actuated on the ground. According to a statement by Orlando Executive airport officials, the airplane landed on runway 13 and all three landing gear partially collapsed, the airplane skidded on the rubber tires and came to rest leaning to the right. Airport officials also stated that, Due to the nose high pitch of the airplane, most of the weight of the airplane was supported by the right horizontal stabilizer, resulting in substantial damage to the spar. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N300EW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N300EW), registered now, S/N 21061219 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 210L - Registry model: [Cessna 210L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-210l) (registry code 2073448) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 21061219 - Airframe hours: 2385 - Engines: Continental IO520-L7B 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Flight Express - Registered owner: Flight Express - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 24, 1998, 55 hours before - Departed: ORL - Destination: SGJ, SAINT AUGUSTINE, FL - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: ORL, Orlando Executive Airport, runway 13, 4,638 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 4,500 total, 800 in this make and model, 4,350 as pilot in command, 306 in the last 90 days, 120 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 70° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: ORL ## 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 19980925037739A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980925037739A), Sep 25, 1998: Cessna 210L, Orlando, FL, Substantial damage. (.19) This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been… ## Other investigations on N300EW (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 LAX95LA234](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX95LA234), Jun 30, 1995: Cessna 210L (N300EW), Truckee, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning, and his failure to refuel the aircraft while en route. 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.