- Date
- October 1, 1997, 08:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Fargo, ND
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5168ACessna T210N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 24, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19971001029399A
- Case key
- 10753
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the circuit breaker for the hydraulic pump popped during gear extension which resulting in the failure of the landing gear to lock in the extended position.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot extended the landing gear 3 to 4 miles prior to landing. During the landing flare the landing gear warning horn sounded. The pilot reported that it was too late to initiate a go-around so he continued the landing during which the landing gear collapsed. Postaccident testing of the landing gear system revealed the hydraulic pump circuit breaker would pop when the landing gear was extended. This resulted in the gear being in a trailing unlocked position.
Factual narrative
On October 1, 1997, at 0830 central daylight time, a Cessna T210N, N5168A, operated by a commercial pilot collided with the terrain when the landing gear collapsed on touchdown. The landing was being made on runway 17 at the Hector International Airport, Fargo, North Dakota. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The flight originated from a private airstrip in Hillsboro, North Dakota, at 0800.
The pilot reported he extended the landing gear 3 to 4 miles prior to touchdown at an airspeed of 120 knots. He reported that he kept his hand on the gear lever until it was down at which time he made a visual check to assure it was down. He reported that during the landing flare he heard the gear warning horn; however, it was too late to initiate a go-around. The landing gear collapsed as the airplane touched down.
Post accident testing of the landing gear system revealed the hydraulic pump circuit breaker would pop when the landing gear was extended leaving the gear in a trailing unlocked position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5168A
- Reported as
- Cessna T210N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21063294
- Airframe hours
- 2,641
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-R, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Daniel J. Down
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 16, 1997 · 54 hours before
- Departed
- 5ND6 · Hillsboro, ND
- Destination
- FAR
- Airport
- FAR · Hector Intl, runway 17, 9,546 × 150 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 71
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,463 total · 365 in this make and model · 1,345 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 17 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FAR
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.