- Date
- July 25, 2015, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Duluth, MN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1650XCessna T210L
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 11, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20150725011589A
- Case key
- 91675
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 prior to landing, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage during landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention to another airplane in the vicinity and that he inaccurately perceived the gear warning horn annunciator as the TCAS annunciator.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he began his descent in the airport traffic pattern when another airplane announced its position in the vicinity of the airport. The pilot turned his attention to the traffic and located it visually. The traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) annunciated in the proximity of the other airplane. The turn to the base leg was made after passing the traffic. During the base and final legs, the gear warning horn annunciated and the pilot stated he had mistaken it for the TCAS. The pilot landed with the gear retracted and the airplane sustained substantial damage to fuselage supporting structure. The pilot reported he was wearing noise cancelling headphones during the flight but did state he was able to hear the gear warning horn annunciate. After the accident, the airplane was placed on jacks and the landing gear was extended using the airplane's own systems and there was no indication of abnormal operation. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he began his descent in the airport traffic pattern when another airplane announced its position in the vicinity of the airport. The pilot turned his attention to the traffic and located it visually. The traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) annunciated in the proximity of the other airplane. The turn to the base leg was made after passing the traffic. During the base and final legs, the gear warning horn annunciated and the pilot stated he had mistaken it for the TCAS. The pilot landed with the gear retracted and the airplane sustained substantial damage to fuselage supporting structure. The pilot reported he was wearing noise cancelling headphones during the flight but did state he was able to hear the gear warning horn annunciate. After the accident, the airplane was placed on jacks and the landing gear was extended using the airplane's own systems and there was no indication of abnormal operation. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1650X
- Reported as
- Cessna T210L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21060685
- Built
- 1975
- Airframe hours
- 5,926.3
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- St. Croix Aviation LLC
- Registered owner
- St. Croix Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 17, 2015
- Departed
- 21D · St Paul, MN
- Destination
- DYT · Duluth, MN
- Airport
- DYT · Sky Harbor, runway 32, 3,049 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather
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
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 4, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 131 total · 20 in this make and model · 45 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KDYT
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 27, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB in all.
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 N1650X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.