Cessna 210D accident near Millington, Tennessee, November 9, 2003
On November 9, 2003 at about 8:19 pm local time, a Cessna 210D, registered N3728Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Millington, Tennessee (Millington Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The malfunction of the main hydraulic landing gear system actuator resulting in an emergency gear up landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 2003 · about 8:19 pm local time
- Place
- Millington, Tennessee · Millington Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210D · all 210Ds on the register
- Registration
- N3728Y · registry record · serial 210-58228
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was conducting touch and go landings at an airport when he observed an unsafe landing gear indication after attempting to lower the landing gear. The emergency gear extension checklist was followed and the landing gear would not come down. He diverted to another airport and contacted the control tower. A fly-by was requested and the controller informed the pilot that the nose gear was extended, however the main landing gear was not extended. The pilot entered the traffic pattern and made an emergency landing to the sod area left of runway 04. The landing gear actuator was forwarded to an authorized repair station for further examination. The examination revealed the actuator was in the partially extended position during the gear up landing. The repair station confirmed the hydraulic pump was functioning, and the landing gear actuator was in the partially extended position during the gear up landing. The teardown concluded, "It is our professional opinion, based on non-teardown of the unit that the power pack would have functioned and sequenced as designed; however, there is serious question as to the ability of the main gear actuators to overcome the flight loads if operated at 60 percent (fluctuating between 750 psi and 900 psi) of designed system pressure (required to be at 1950 plus or minus 50 psi.")
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 926 hours in all; 98 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 926 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 26, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,132 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 16, 2003; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A29 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DYR Dyersburg TN at 8:00 pm
- Destination: NQA Millington TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 8,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.39 inHg
- Observation at 8:28 pm from NQA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.