- Date
- July 2, 2003, 08:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Aspen, CO
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N761XECessna T210M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20030702015939A
- Case key
- 57359
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 failure of the landing gear actuator switch. Factors relating to the accident were the false landing gear indication, the precautionary landing, and the improper maintenance adjustment performed on the landing gear switch prior to the accident flight.
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 reported that on departure, he could not get the landing gear to retract. The pilot elected to terminate the flight and returned to the airport to land. The pilot said that during the landing, he attempted to set the airplane down "softly." On touchdown, the airplane's right main landing gear collapsed causing substantial damage to the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The airplane spun around 180 degrees before coming to a stop on the runway. An examination of the landing gear system showed that there was a loose wire in the landing gear handle, which sent a false indication to the right main gear actuator switch, causing the system to unlock the gear but not initiate landing gear retraction. No other anomalies were found. The pilot reported that prior to the accident flight, he had maintenance performed on the landing gear indicator light.
Factual narrative
On July 2, 2003, at 0830 mountain daylight time, a Cessna T210M, N761XE, piloted by an airline transport pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during a precautionary landing at the Pitkin County Airport (ASE), Aspen, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and four passengers on board reported no injuries. The local flight originated at ASE, at 0800.
The pilot reported that on departure, he could not get the landing gear to retract. The pilot elected to terminate the flight and returned to the airport to land. The pilot said that during the landing, he attempted to set the airplane down "softly." On touchdown, the airplane's right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane spun around 180 degrees before coming to a stop on the runway.
An examination of the airplane showed the right horizontal stabilizer, spar and elevator bent upward and aft. Flight control continuity was confirmed. An examination of the landing gear system showed that there was a loose wire in the landing gear handle, which sent a false indication to the right main gear actuator switch, causing the system to unlock the gear but not initiate landing gear retraction. An examination of the engine, engine controls, and other airplane systems revealed no anomalies.
The pilot reported that prior to the accident flight, he had maintenance performed on the landing gear indicator light.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N761XE
- Reported as
- Cessna T210M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21062594
- Airframe hours
- 5,561
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520, 325 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bruce S. Gordon
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2003 · 120 hours before
- Departed
- ASE · Aspen, CO
- Airport
- ASE · Pitkin County Airport, runway 15, 7,004 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,300 total · 300 in this make and model · 120 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.27 inHg
- Observed at
- ASE, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N761XE · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.