# NTSB WPR17LA204: Cessna T210N, N5391A, Watsonville, CA, September 15, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 15, 2017, 13:00 local (20:00 UTC) - Place: Watsonville, CA - Coordinates: 36.935832, -121.79055 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.9358&lon=-121.7905&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 96019 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR17LA204 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/96019/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96019 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17LA204 ## Probable cause The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing and subsequent nose gear separation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna T210N, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2073456), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna T210N, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2073456), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna T210N, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2073456), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during the landing, the airplane bounced and soon after he felt a "jerk and thump," and the propeller contacted the runway as the airplane slid across the runway with the nose down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the leading edge of the right horizontal stabilizer. Examination of the runway surface revealed markings consistent with a hard landing on the nose landing gear. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the pilot failed to maintain a proper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing on the nose gear and its subsequent separation. ## Factual narrative On September 15, 2017, about 1300 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna T210N airplane, N5391A, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Watsonville, California. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that the flight and approach to landing were normal. During the landing, the airplane bounced, and he felt a “jerk and thump.” The next thing he recalled was the propeller impacting the runway surface as the airplane slid across the runway with the nose down. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions of the airplane. A postaccident examination of the airplane and accident site by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed impact gouging and tire marks on the runway surface near the approach end of runway 20. The nose landing gear separated from the airplane and was found on the runway. The airplane came to rest on the left side of the runway and exhibited impact damage to the lower fuselage and substantial damage to the leading edge of the right horizontal stabilizer. The inspector noted that the nose landing gear separated “straight off,” and there was no evidence of mechanical anomalies. The nose landing gear linkage was in the down and locked position. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5391A](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5391A), registered now, S/N 21063408, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA T210N (N) - Registry model: [Cessna T210N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t210n) (registry code 2073456) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 21063408 - Year built: 1979 - Airframe hours: 4780 - Engines: Continental Motors TSIO-520-R 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Singh Amandeep - Registered owner: Singh Amandeep - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; None - Last inspection: Annual, April 18, 2017, 35 hours before - Departed: LVK, LIVERMORE, CA - Destination: WVI, Watsonville, CA - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: WVI, Watsonville Muni, runway 20, 4,501 × 149 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Satellite tracking device, Onboard weather ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 140 total, 37 in this make and model, 40 as pilot in command, 48 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: WVI ## 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 20170915020789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170915020789A), Sep 15, 2017: Cessna T210N, Watsonville, CA, Substantial damage. On September 15, 2017 at approximately 13:00 PDT, N5391A, CE-T210N landing at Watsonville Airport (wvi). In a statement from the pilot: just before landing… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 25, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96019. 4.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11709029&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation-pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 123 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11713629&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-Pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation-faa inspector onsite (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 129 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11708419&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-FAA%20Examination_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array-accident site (item 4, PDF, 6 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11709130&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.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.