GAA18CA115

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 210 · Sussex, NJ · January 21, 2018

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
January 21, 2018, 02:30 local (07:30 UTC)
Place
Sussex, NJ
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N884KMCessna 210
Defining event
Landing: Landing gear not configured
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night
Status
Completed · report April 23, 2018
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20180121001059A
Case key
96642

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot’s inadvertent landing gear retraction during approach.

Findings · 2

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.

Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sysAircraft › Aircraft systems · Unintentional use/operationCessna 210D: 1 caseAll aircraft: 416 casesProbable cause
Action: incorrect action performancePersonnel issues › Action/decision · PilotCessna 210D: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,386 casesProbable cause

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 of the retractable-landing-gear-equipped airplane reported that, during approach, the green landing gear extended light was illuminated. He further reported that "it [was] possible that [he] inadvertently cycled the landing gear back to a gear up position." The airplane landed gear up and was destroyed by postaccident fire. During a telephone interview with a National Transportation Safety Board investigator, the pilot reported that the landing gear handle and the trim wheel were next to each other, and it is probable that, when operating the trim wheel, he moved the landing gear handle. He added that that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the retractable landing gear-equipped airplane reported that, during approach the green landing gear extended light was illuminated. He further reported that "it [was] possible that [he] inadvertently cycled the landing gear back to a gear up position". The airplane landed gear up and was destroyed by a postaccident fire. During a telephone interview with a National Transportation Safety Board investigator, the pilot reported that the landing gear handle and the trim wheel were next to each other and it is probable that when operating the trim wheel, he moved the landing gear handle. He added that that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A friend of the pilot reported that the pilot used a LightSpeed Zulu headset with ANR (active noise reduction). The manufacturer published a service manual for Cessna 210s from 1960-1965. In the service manual, it stated: "Current production 210 models have incorporated a stall and gear warning unit which has two horns built into the unit, thereby eliminating the need of a speaker."

Aircraft

Registration
N884KM
Reported as
Cessna 210 (D)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
21058503
Built
1964
Engine
Cont Motor IO-520-A32D, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
MPO · Mount Pocono, PA
Destination
FWN · Sussex, NJ
Airport
FWN · Sussex, runway 03, 3,499 × 75 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Auto-pilot

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
44
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
December 24, 2017
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
150 total · 50 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
21 °F, dew point 19 °F
Altimeter
30.04 inHg
Observed at
KFWN

Docket · 5

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 28, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.4 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.