# NTSB DEN00LA094: Cessna T210M, N66DF, Laramie, WY, May 21, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 21, 2000, 15:05 local (21:05 UTC) - Place: Laramie, WY - Coordinates: 41.309333, -105.579032 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3093&lon=-105.5790&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 4, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 51112 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN00LA094 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/51112/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA094 ## Probable cause The pilot-in-command's failure to confirm, the landing gear was down and locked. Factors were the check pilot's failure to confirm the landing gear was down and locked, and the sun glare. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Wheels up landing, landing - gear extension - performed, pilot in command - gear down and locked - not verified, pilot in command (cause) - gear down and locked - not verified, check pilot (contributing factor) - light condition - sunglare (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot was taking the commercial pilot practical test for airplanes, single engine, land, and had advanced to the takeoff and landing phase of the test. He lowered the landing gear and extended the flaps. He thought the GEAR DOWN green light had illuminated and he announced, 'gear down and locked' (the sun came through the rear window and the glare illuminated the landing gear indicator lights). As the airplane approached the runway threshold, the pilot retarded the throttle. The gear warning horn did not sound. The airplane landed wheels up. The landing gear warning horn then began sounding. The landing gear selector was in the DOWN position, the nose gear doors were open, and the nose gear was partially extended. The main landing gear doors were partially open, but the main landing gear was not extended. ## Factual narrative On May 21, 2000, at 1505 mountain daylight time, a Cessna T210M, N66DF, registered to Western Farm Bureau Service Co., Inc., was substantially damaged when it landed gear up at Laramie Regional Airport, Laramie, Wyoming. The private certificated pilot in command and airline transport certificated pilot examiner were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated at Laramie approximately 1 hour before the accident. The following is based on a telephone interview with the pilot and the accident report he submitted. He was in the process of taking the commercial pilot practical test for airplanes, single engine, land. After performing various maneuvers required for the test, he returned to Laramie for the takeoff and landing phase of the test. Over the Laramie Vortac, he lowered the landing gear and extended the flaps 10 degrees, announcing "gear unlocked and coming down." The GEAR DOWN green light illuminated and he announced, "gear down and locked" (the sun came through the rear window and the glare illuminated the landing gear indicator lights, and he thought he saw three green lights). He turned left downwind for runway 21. On base leg, he extended the flaps 20 degrees, and deployed full flaps when he turned onto final approach. As the airplane approached the runway threshold, the pilot retarded the throttle. The gear warning horn did not sound. The airplane landed wheels up. The landing gear warning horn then began sounding. The pilot said the landing gear selector was in the DOWN position. The nose gear doors were open and the nose gear was partially extended. The main landing gear doors were partially open but the main landing gear was not extended (the main landing gear can be seen from the cockpit, but neither pilot visually checked to see if it was down). The pilot said he thought he may have inadvertently placed the gear selector in the NEUTRAL position. At touch down, "the gear selector jumped the small detent from the NEUTRAL to the DOWN position, causing the GEAR UNSAFE warning horn and the gear hydraulic pump to activate and begin to open the gear doors and extend the gear." Damage consisted of a buckled firewall and bulkheads. At the time this report was written, the check pilot had not responded to a request that he complete his portion of the accident report. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N66DF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N66DF), registered now, S/N 210-621-41, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna T210M - Registry model: [Cessna T210M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t210m) (registry code 2073451) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 210-62141 - Airframe hours: 3206 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520-R9B 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Fred Ockers, Jr. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 2, 1999, 39 hours before - Departed: LAR - Airport: LAR, Laramie Regional, runway 21, 7,700 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 6,147 total, 4 in this make and model, 5,938 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 15 knots - Visibility: 50 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: LAR ## 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 20000521012239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000521012239A), May 21, 2000: Cessna T210M, Laramie, WY, No damage. (-23) After completion of airwork manuevers during his commercial asel examination 2100ZZ, the applicant proceeded to land. During landing the gear collapsed. 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.