- Date
- August 24, 1989, 12:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Englewood, CO
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6121RCessna T210F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890824031539A
- Case key
- 17770
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
A failure in the hyrdraulic power unit, which prevented operation of either the normal or emergency gear extension systems. The raised runway lip contributed to aircraft damage and pilot injury.
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 instructor pilot (CFI) & dual student were practicing simulated instrument apchs. Drg an apch, the landing gear failed to extend. The pilots were unable to extend the gear by using either the normal or emergency systems. Subsequently, an apch was made to rwy 17 for a wheels up landing. To minimize the risks of sparks & fire, the CFI elected to land the acft on dirt, short of the threshold, then allow the acft to skid onto the paved rwy. However, he was unaware of a 6 inch lip at the rwy threshold. The CFI rprtd that drg the wheels up landing, the acft struck the raised lip, which resulted in a hard impact. The CFI received a compression fracture of his back. A post-acdnt exam of the hydraulic power unit revealed a 'lee plug' had 'blown out.' With the plug out, no eng driven or emergency pump pressure could have been applied to the gear extension system.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6121R
- Reported as
- Cessna T210F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- T210-0021
- Airframe hours
- 2,292
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-C, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gordon Vaughn
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 18, 1989
- Departed
- APA
- Destination
- APA
- Airport
- APA · Centennial, runway 17, 7,000 × 75 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
- 54
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,386 total · 2,204 as pilot in command · 62 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
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 N6121R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.