# NTSB WPR11LA378: Cessna 210L, N732FY, Seattle, WA, August 13, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 13, 2011, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Seattle, WA - Coordinates: 47.529998, -122.30194 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.5300&lon=-122.3019&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-IFR final approach: Electrical system malf/failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 11, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 81470 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR11LA378 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/81470/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81470 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11LA378 ## Probable cause A loss of electrical power while on final approach due to a depleted battery, which resulted in an intentional gear-up emergency landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Electrical power system: battery/charger](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022432): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Inoperative (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 210L, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022432/cases.md?model=2073448), [All aircraft, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022432/cases.md) - [Landing gear system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not used/operated; cases with it: [Cessna 210L, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200/cases.md?model=2073448), [All aircraft, 113 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-IFR final approach: Electrical system malf/failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 210L, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332/sequence.md?model=2073448), [All aircraft, 182 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 210L, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2073448), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during final approach for landing, she lowered the flaps to 10 degrees and placed the landing gear lever to the “down” position. While the gear was coming down, the airplane lost all electrical power. The pilot stated that she thought the safest course of action would be to land in the grass between the runways because she did not think she had sufficient time to manually pump the landing gear down. She reported that, with the 10-degree flap setting, the airplane was a little faster than normal during the approach but that the gear-up landing was smooth. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the battery was depleted. Maintenance personnel jacked up the airplane and successfully performed a landing gear retraction and extension with an auxiliary power unit connected. They then installed a shop battery and successfully completed normal retraction and emergency extensions. ## Factual narrative On August 13, 2011, about 1400 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 210L, N732FY, collided with terrain at Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage by impact forces. The cross-country personal flight departed Friday Harbor, Washington, about 1330, with Seattle as the planned destination. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. The pilot stated that the airplane was on approach to runway 13R, and prepared for landing. She lowered the flaps to 10 degrees, and placed the landing gear lever to the down position. As the gear was coming down, the airplane lost all electrical power. She quickly verified that there was no electrical power available for the gear or radios. Since she had been cleared to land, she felt that the safest course of action would be to land in the grass on the infield between the runways. She didn’t think that there was time to manually pump the landing gear down. She didn’t want to be distracted trying to lower the gear, while trying to fly the airplane, and prepare her children for the landing. The pilot stated that with the 10-degree flap setting, the airplane was a little faster than her normal approach. The landing was smooth, and no one on board was injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer. Maintenance personnel from American Avionics, Seattle, examined the airplane under the supervision of the Federal Aviation Administration. The original battery was depleted. Maintenance personnel jacked the airplane, and performed a landing gear retraction and extension with an auxiliary power unit connected. They then installed a shop battery and successfully completed normal retraction and emergency extensions. Maintenance personnel discovered that the landing gear warning horn did not sound at reduced throttle settings. They did a ground run of the engine, and discovered that the overvoltage light was not functional. The AMP meter was not functional; it did not show negative or positive amps when the alternator was turned off and back on under high current loads. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N732FY](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N732FY-2020-10-01), registration cancelled 2020-10-01, S/N 21061490, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 210L - Registry model: [Cessna 210L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-210l) (registry code 2073448) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 21061490 - Airframe hours: 5052 - Engines: Continental Motors TSIO-520-R9B 310 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Saccio Aviation LLC - Registered owner: Saccio Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 18, 2011, 18 hours before - Departed: FHR, Friday Harbor, WA - Destination: BFI, Seattle, WA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: BFI, Boeing Field, runway 13R, 10,000 × 200 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 582 total, 326 in this make and model, 490 as pilot in command, 8 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: KBFI ## 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 20110813018819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110813018819A), Aug 13, 2011: Cessna 210L, Seattle, WA, Substantial damage. At approximately 1400 PST August 13,2011 pilot [privacy data omitted] was operating Cessna 210 under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 from Friday harbor,… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 10, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81470. 723 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 698 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40398990&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation Mechanic (item 2, .PDF, 25 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40399366&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20Mechanic-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.