Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 210N near Marathon, FL — 2014-03-17

Final reportERA14CA157
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Date
2014-03-17
Location
Marathon, FL, USA
Airport
MTH
Aircraft
CESSNA 210N
Registration
N210JZ
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to ensure that the airplane's landing gear was down and locked prior to touchdown. Contributing to the accident was the possibility of intermittent landing gear operation due to a faulty hydraulic power pack contactor.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was practicing a simulated engine-out visual approach to the asphalt runway. He extended the landing gear on short final and believed it was down and locked; however, after touchdown, the left and right main landing gear retracted into their respective wheel-wells. A witness at the airport who observed the accident stated that the airplane's main landing gear was not fully extended when the airplane touched down on the runway. The pilot stated that he did not hear the aural landing gear warning horn prior to landing and he did not recall if the green (landing gear down) landing gear position indicator lights were illuminated prior to landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right horizontal stabilizer. Initial postaccident examination of the airplane, which included a check of the landing gear warning system and a landing gear retraction test, did not reveal any anomalies. Subsequent additional examination of the landing gear system, which included multiple landing gear extension-retraction cycles revealed a faulty hydraulic power pack contactor, which resulted in intermittent extension of the landing gear. Review of the airplane's pilot operating handbook, normal procedures, before landing checklist, included: "4. Landing Gear – CHECK (observe main gear down and green indicator light on)."

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have checked landing gear indicator lights before landing.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 8 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents8

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