# NTSB IAD02LA045: Cessna P210N, N734VS, Linden, NJ, April 20, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 20, 2002, 12:20 local (16:20 UTC) - Place: Linden, NJ - Coordinates: 40.617221, -74.244445 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6172&lon=-74.2444&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 54606 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD02LA045 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54606/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54606 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD02LA045 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to lower the landing gear prior to landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Wheels up landing, landing - gear extension - not performed, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The pilot entered the traffic pattern on the downwind leg, extended full flaps, and flew the final approach at 90 knots. The pilot heard the sound of a horn as he flared for landing, and assumed it was the stall warning horn. However, as the airplane touched down, the pilot realized the landing gear was not extended. An operational check of the landing gear system revealed no mechanical anomalies. ## Factual narrative On April 20, 2002, at 1220 eastern daylight time, a Cessna P210N, N734VS, was substantially damaged while landing at the Linden Airport (LDJ), Linden, New Jersey. The certificated private pilot and two passengers were not injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed between the Genesee County Airport (GVQ), Batavia, New York, and Linden, New Jersey. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, he departed about 1050 and flew direct to Linden. The visibility en route was "good," except for a few locations in New Jersey, where scattered rain showers had developed. While approaching Linden, the pilot saw that a rain shower was over the airport, which made it difficult to see. When he was about 3 miles from the airport, he reported to air traffic control that he had the airport in sight, he cancelled his IFR flight plan, and continued for a visual approach. The pilot entered a left downwind for runway 27, extended full flaps, and flew the final approach at 90 knots. The pilot heard the sound of a horn as he flared for landing, and assumed it was the stall warning horn. However, as the airplane touched down, the pilot realized the landing gear was not extended. The propeller struck the ground, and the airplane slid to a stop on the runway. A witness reported that he was in the fixed base operator (FBO) office when he first observed the airplane turning onto the final approach leg of the traffic pattern for runway 27, without its landing gear extended. At the same time, a line service employee attempted to contact the pilot over the Unicom frequency to inform the pilot that his gear was not extended. No response was received from the airplane, and the witness observed the airplane land with its gear up, and skid down the runway to a stop. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector performed an on-scene examination of the airplane. According to the inspector, the landing gear selector was observed in the "up" position, and substantial damage was observed to the right wing rib. Damage was also observed to the underside of the fuselage, the propeller, and the right wingtip and aileron. During the examination, the airplane was placed on a jack, the landing gear was manually extended, and no mechanical deficiencies were observed. According to the Cessna P210N Pilot Operating Handbook, items 3 and 4 in the BEFORE LANDING checklist are: 3. Landing Gear - EXTENDED (below 165 KIAS) 4. Landing Gear - CHECK (observe main gear down and green indicator light on) The pilot reported 1,144 hours of total flight experience, 523 of which were in make and model. Weather reported at Newark International Airport (EWR), Newark, New Jersey, 5 miles to the northeast, at 1212, included winds from 270 degrees at 4 knots, visibility 3/4 mile, and broken clouds at 2,500 feet. Additionally, a thunderstorm was reported at the airport, with cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N734VS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N734VS), registered now, S/N P21000614, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna P210N - Registry model: [Cessna P210N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-p210n) (registry code 2073454) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: P21000614 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520P 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Robert Hodgins - Registered owner: Hodgins Engraving Co Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 21, 2001 - Departed: GVQ, Batavia, NY - Destination: LDJ, Linden, NJ - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: LDJ, Linden Airport, runway 27, 4,137 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review March 9, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 1,144 total, 523 in this make and model, 1,101 as pilot in command, 52 in the last 90 days, 23 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 4 knots - Visibility: 0.75 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,500 ft broken - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.87 inHg - Observed at: EWR, 5 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 20020420018179A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020420018179A), Apr 20, 2002: Cessna P210N, Linden, NJ, No damage. (-23) IFR flight from D52 to ldj, upon arrival at Linden, cancelled IFR entered left down wind, eyewitness observed aircraft turn left base to final with the… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 24, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54606. 508 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 266 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40432911&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Pilot Statement (item 2, .PDF, 57 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40432913&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Master.PDF - FAA Statement (item 3, .PDF, 82 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40432914&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Wreckage Diagram (item 4, .PDF, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40432916&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Wreckage%20Diagram-Master.PDF - Pilot Operating Handbook (excerpt) (item 5, .PDF, 58 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40432918&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Operating%20Handbook%20(excerpt)-Master.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.