# NTSB ERA17LA239: Cessna 210L, N732FJ, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA, July 11, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 11, 2017, 11:10 local (15:10 UTC) - Place: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA · On paved runway - Coordinates: 41.343055, -75.719444 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3431&lon=-75.7194&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 95559 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA17LA239 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/95559/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95559 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA239 ## Probable cause Failure of the left landing gear door actuator, which resulted in a loss of all hydraulic pressure and subsequent gear collapse on landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: landing gear actuator](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023233): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 210L, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023233/cases.md?model=2073448), [All aircraft, 54 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023233/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 210L, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=2073448), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Cessna 210L, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2073448), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis After takeoff, the pilot placed the landing gear handle in the up position; the gear started to retract, but the cycle never completed. The pilot attempted to recycle the gear back into the down position without success and subsequently used the manual emergency landing gear extension hand pump without success. He discussed the situation with a mechanic, and they determined that there was likely no hydraulic fluid in the system and no corrective action to remedy the situation. The pilot diverted to a nearby airport and performed a tower flyby, which confirmed that the gear were down and dangling but not locked. Upon touchdown, the landing gear folded back. The airplane tilted left and skidded to a stop, which resulted in substantial damage to the left stabilizer, left elevator, and left wingtip. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the left landing gear door actuator had failed, and hydraulic fluid was observed in and around the left landing gear well. Subsequent maintenance revealed that a c-clip that held a cap in place at the end of the actuator had failed, which resulted in the release of the hydraulic fluid and pressure and subsequently prevented the landing gear system, including the manual emergency landing gear extension hand pump, from operating. The failure of the actuator component released all hydraulic pressure from the system, and the landing gear could not be extended into the down-and-locked position, which resulted in a gear collapse upon landing. ## Factual narrative On July 11, 2017, about 1110 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 210L, N732FJ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Avoca, Pennsylvania. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that the flight was destined for Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After takeoff from Morristown Municipal Airport (MMU), Morristown, New Jersey, the pilot placed the gear handle in the up position; the gear started to retract, but the cycle never completed. He attempted to recycle the gear back to the down position without success. The hydraulic gear pump ran, but the gear did not move. The pilot then attempted to use the manual emergency landing gear hand pump; however, there was no resistance, and he thought that there was no hydraulic fluid in the system. The pilot stated that upon discussing the issue with maintenance personnel over the radio, they agreed that there was likely no hydraulic fluid and no corrective action to remedy the situation. The pilot subsequently diverted to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP), Avoca, Pennsylvania. While in the airport traffic pattern at AVP, he performed a flyby of the control tower, and the controller advised that the gear appeared to be down, dangling, and not locked. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 22, and upon touchdown, the landing gear folded back, the airplane tilted left and skidded along the runway before coming to rest. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector who responded to the accident site and examined the airplane. The inspector observed that the airplane had incurred substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer, left elevator, and left wingtip. Further examination revealed that the left landing gear door actuator failed, and hydraulic fluid was observed in and around the left landing gear well. Maintenance personnel who performed subsequent maintenance on the airplane noted that the c-clip that held a cap in place at the left landing gear door piston actuator “blew out,” which resulted in the release of hydraulic pressure and fluid from the lines. The emergency landing gear extension hand pump operated on the same system. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N732FJ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N732FJ), registered now, S/N 21061478, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 210L (M) - Registry model: [Cessna 210L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-210l) (registry code 2073448) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 21061478 - Year built: 1976 - Airframe hours: 6719 - Engines: CONT MOTOR IO 550 SERIES 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Irf LLC - Registered owner: Irf LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 19, 2016 - Departed: MMU, MORRISTOWN, NJ - Destination: AVP, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: AVP, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Intl, runway 22, 7,501 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 70; injuries: none; commercial, private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 13, 2017; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 7,042 total, 5,120 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,700 ft overcast - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: AVP, 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20170711011539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170711011539A), Jul 11, 2017: Cessna 210L, Substantial damage. Main landing gear failed to extend. ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 26, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95559. 12.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 9.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=5452932&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Report%20for%20N732FJ_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation_pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 157 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11980149&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation_Pilot-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation_FAA (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 118 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11943486&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation_FAA-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation_maintenance (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 120 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11978187&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation_Maintenance-Rel.pdf - Maintenance log post-accident repair (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 4 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11978177&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Maintenance%20Work%20Log%20Post%20Accident_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array_airplane damage (item 6, PDF, 3 pages, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11942435&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Site%20and%20Damage%20Photographs-Rel.pdf 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.