- Date
- April 5, 1996, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Albuquerque, NM
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7659UCessna T210R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960405009049A
- Case key
- 19796
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 pilot's failure to extend the landing gear. Factors were his failure to follow the checklist and his diverted attention due to other traffic.
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 aborted a landing after the airplane skipped sideways after touchdown during a crosswind landing. He was instructed by the tower to execute a left downwind and was later cleared to land on runway 30 again. The pilot was advised by the tower that he had traffic ahead and behind him. The airplane landed gear up. The pilot stated that his attention was diverted to the traffic ahead and behind him, and he was also apprehensive about the crosswind landing.
Factual narrative
On April 5, 1996, at 1500 mountain standard time, a Cessna T210R, N7659U, was substantially damaged while landing at the Albuquerque International Airport, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The airplane was owned and operated by the Saga Exploration Company of Reno, Nevada. The commercial pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 flight. A VFR flight plan was filed and a weather briefing received for the flight. The personal flight originated in Reno, Nevada, and a refueling stop was made at Page, Arizona, earlier that morning. The airplane departed from Page, Arizona, approximately 2 hours prior to the accident.
According to the pilot, as he approached Albuquerque, he requested and received an IFR clearance to descend below the overcast, followed by a clearance for a visual approach to runway 30. While attempting to land on 30, the prevailing crosswind caused the airplane "to skip sideways on the runway." The pilot elected to abort the landing and return for another landing. The tower instructed the pilot to execute a left downwind for runway 30, and later cleared the airplane to land on Runway 30 behind landing traffic. The pilot was also advised by the tower that he had traffic following him.
The pilot stated that during his second attempt to land, "he forgot to extend the landing gear and the airplane touched down on its belly." The pilot stated that his attention was diverted to the traffic ahead and behind him, and he was also apprehensive about the prevailing crosswind. Damage to the airplane was limited to structural damage to the underside of the fuselage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7659U
- Reported as
- Cessna T210R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21064973
- Airframe hours
- 1,810
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-CE, 325 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gregory G. Austin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 1, 1996
- Departed
- PGA · Page, AZ
- Destination
- ABQ
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- ABQ · Albuquerque Intl, runway 30, 5,142 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 30 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 17 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ABQ
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.