# NTSB CEN18LA345: Cessna T210, N6958N, Tulsa, OK, August 18, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 18, 2018, 09:46 local (14:46 UTC) - Place: Tulsa, OK - Coordinates: 36.039722, -95.984725 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0397&lon=-95.9847&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Electrical system malf/failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 3, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 98116 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN18LA345 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98116/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98116 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA345 ## Probable cause The pilot's decision to take off with a known electrical problem, which resulted in the loss of electrical power, problem with the landing gear extension system, and subsequent runway excursion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Electrical power system: battery/charger](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022432): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Inoperative; cases with it: [Cessna T210N, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022432/cases.md?model=2073456), [All aircraft, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022432/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna T210N, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2073456), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Electrical system malf/failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna T210N, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332/sequence.md?model=2073456), [All aircraft, 182 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332/sequence.md) - [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna T210N, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2073456), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airplane had been sitting on a ramp for 3-4 months before the accident flight. The pilot initially could not start the engine due to a discharged battery but then departed on a cross-country flight after a ground unit was used to start the airplane. After takeoff, the pilot noticed that the radios became silent. He started to troubleshoot the loss of radio communications with no success. He set up to return to the airport and land on the runway. The pilot tried to deploy the flaps and landing gear, but there was no indication that either extended. He stated that he checked to see if the landing gear extended by using the wing-mounted mirrors. The pilot continued the approach. During the landing rollout, the pilot applied right rudder and brakes, but the airplane rolled off the runway into the grass. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a collapsed left main landing gear. No mechanical anomalies were noted with the landing gear, and the battery was discharged. It is likely that the discharged battery affected the landing gear extension system. However, it could not be determined if the landing gear collapsed during the accident sequence or if it was not completely extended before landing. ## Factual narrative On August 18, 2018, about 0946 central daylight time, a Cessna 210 airplane, N6958N, registered to a private individual, sustained substantial damage during a runway excursion at the Richard Lloyd Jones Jr. Airport (RVS), Tulsa, Oklahoma. The airline transport pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the flight. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Federal Code of Regulations Part 91. The flight departed RVS about 0930 and was en route to the McAllen Miller International Airport (MFE), McAllen, Texas. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who responded to the accident, the pilot could not start the airplane due to a discharged battery, so he had the local fixed base operator (FBO) use a ground power starter to jump start the airplane. After takeoff, about 800 ft AGL, the pilot noticed that the radios became silent. He maneuvered the airplane upwind and started to troubleshoot the loss of radio communications (checked circuit breakers, recycled the avionics master switch, tried COMM 2, and tried the hand-held microphone mounted in the airplane). He switched his initial transponder code of 1730 to the emergency code 7600 on the transponder and set up to return to the airport to land on runway 11. The pilot tried to deploy the flaps and landing gear, but there was no indication that either extended. He checked to see if the landing gear extended by using the wing-mounted mirrors. During landing rollout, the pilot applied right rudder and brakes to try to stop the airplane safely. The airplane rolled off the runway into the grass with a collapsed left main landing gear. The FAA inspector examined the airplane and did not find any mechanical anomalies with the landing gear. He confirmed that the battery was completely discharged. Also, the airplane had been sitting on the ramp for about 3-4 months before the accident flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6958N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6958N-2020-11-27), registration cancelled 2020-11-27, S/N 21063168, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna T210 (N) - Registry model: [Cessna T210N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t210n) (registry code 2073456) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 21063168 - Year built: 1979 - Engines: Continental TSIO520 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 3, 2017 - Departed: RVS, Tulsa, OK - Destination: MFE, McAllen, TX - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: RVS, Richard lloyd Jones Jr, runway 1L, 5,102 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Handheld GPS, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 31, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 2,767 total, 25 in this make and model, 45 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.31 inHg - Observed at: TUL ## 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 20180818015929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180818015929A), Aug 18, 2018: Cessna T210N, Tulsa, OK, Substantial damage. Departed rvs for mfe. At 800FT AGL pilot lost radio comm. Continued climbing while troubleshooting problem. Pilot squaked 7600 and proceeded to return to rvs.… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 3, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98116. 5.2 MB in all. - Memorandum for the Record Pilot Statement (item 1, .PDF, 181 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480430&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20the%20Record%20Pilot%20Statement-Master.PDF - Memorandum for the Record FAA Inspector Findings (item 2, .PDF, 181 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480431&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20the%20Record%20FAA%20Inspector%20Findings-Master.PDF - Photo Array (item 3, .PDF, 2 photos, 4.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480432&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20Array-Master.PDF 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.