Cessna T210L accident near Whittier, Alaska, May 20, 2012
On May 20, 2012 at about 2:10 am local time, a Cessna T210L, registered N732BE, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Whittier, Alaska (Whittier airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure use the prelanding checklist and to extend the landing gear before landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 2012 · about 2:10 am local time
- Place
- Whittier, Alaska · Whittier · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210L · all T210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N732BE · no longer on the register · serial 21061380
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing on a short gravel runway. He did not use the prelanding checklist and failed to extend the landing gear prior to landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage during the gear-up landing. No preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were found that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during landing
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 990 hours in all; 894 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 902 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 26, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,801 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 21, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: K B Aircraft LLC
The flight
- Departed from: PAYA Yakatat AK at 7:30 pm
- Destination: PAWR Whittier AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 1,480 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.