# NTSB CHI99LA068: Cessna P210N, N731YY, Eau Clare, WI, December 31, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 30, 1998, 18:30 local (Dec 31, 1998, 00:30 UTC) - Place: Eau Clare, WI - Coordinates: 44.820407, -91.490699 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.8204&lon=-91.4907&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 22, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 45616 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI99LA068 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/45616/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA068 ## Probable cause the delayed gear extension by the pilot. Contributing factors were the checklist not used by the pilot, the inoperative gear warning, and the maintenance replacement of the throttle control/gear warning interconnect cable not performed by company/operator management as recommended by the manufacturer's service letter. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Wheels up landing, landing - flare/touchdown - gear extension - delayed, pilot in command (cause) - checklist - not used, pilot in command (contributing factor) - safety system(other) - inoperative (contributing factor) - maintenance,replacement - not performed, company/operator management (contributing factor) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown ## Analysis The airplane came to rest on the runway with the nose landing gear extended, and the main landing gear retracted. During an interview, the pilot reported that he did not use a written checklist to perform the before landing checks. An aircraft mechanic at the airport reported that he found the nose wheel landing gear was in the down position with the main landing gear in their gear wells, with the landing gear handle in the down position. The airplane was placed on jacks, and when the master switch was placed into the 'ON' position, the red gear in transit light illuminated, the landing gear extended and the green gear down light illuminated. The gear was then cycled approximately six times and operated normally. The mechanic attributed the failure of the gear warning horn to a stiff cable which was to be replaced in accordance with a 1981 service letter, but was never complied with. ## Factual narrative On December 30, 1998, at 1830 central standard time, a Cessna P210N, N731YY, piloted by a commercial pilot, received substantial damage on impact with terrain during landing on runway 04 (7,301 feet by 150 feet, concrete) at the Chippewa Regional Airport, Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The 14 CFR Part 91 business flight was operating on an instrument flight plan. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and three passengers reported no injuries. The flight originated from the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport, Kalamazoo, Michigan, at 1615, en route to Chippewa Regional Airport. In a written statement, the pilot reported, "The approach to landing went normal with the pre-landing checklist completed and all gauges indicating normal. On short final I rechecked to make sure the gear was down-and-locked by looking out the left window to check the position of the gear (it was down), and double checking that the "green light" was on, to indicate that the gear was locked (it was on). Touchdown was at 80 KIAS [knots indicated airspeed] and very smooth. I decided to keep the weight off the nose gear as long as possible, because of a shimmy in earlier flights, and the aircraft became airborne again, rising a few feet off the runway. I then added a little power to keep the aircraft from stalling and continued the flair. Suddenly the aircraft nosed down and the nose wheel gently bounced off the runway. I brought the nose back up and the plane then settled smoothly onto the runway. On rollout the plane wanted to pull to the left making me think that the left tire was flat. Around the last five feet of the roll out the aircraft slowly tilted to the left and came to a stop about 15 feet right of centerline and about half way down the runway. As the plane came to a rest, I thought that the left landing gear was collapsing, due to the tilt of the aircraft." During an interview, the pilot reported that he did not use a written checklist to perform the before landing checks. He also stated that the outside mirror (used to check the landing gear position) only shows the position of the nose landing gear. An aircraft mechanic at the airport reported that he found the nose wheel landing gear was in the down position with the main landing gear in their gear wells with the landing gear handle in the down position. The aircraft was placed on jacks and when the master switch was placed into the "ON" position, the red gear in transit light illuminated, the landing gear extended and the green gear down light illuminated. The gear was then cycled approximately six times and operated normally. The mechanic attributed the failure of the gear warning horn to a stiff cable which is to be replaced in accordance with a 1981 service letter which was never complied with. ## Aircraft - Registration: N731YY (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Cessna P210N - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 00564 - Airframe hours: 3551 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520-P 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Registered owner: Dadco Diversified Inc - Last inspection: Annual, April 21, 1998, 355 hours before - Departed: AZO, KALAMAZOO, MI - Destination: EAU - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: EAU, Chippewa Valley Regional, runway 4, 7,301 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 32; 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: 2,976 total, 1,060 in this make and model, 2,826 as pilot in command, 150 in the last 90 days, 60 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright - Wind: 350° at 4 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 9,500 ft broken - Temperature: -4 °F, dew point -0 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: EAU ## 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 19981230045659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981230045659A), Dec 30, 1998: Cessna P210N, Eau Claire, WI, Substantial damage. On December 30, 1998, at 1830 central standard time, a Cessna P210N, N731YY, piloted by a commercial pilot, received substantial damage on impact with terrain… 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.