Cessna 210 accident near Charelston, South Carolina, November 4, 1983
On November 4, 1983 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Cessna 210, registered N8866A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charelston, South Carolina (Charlston airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 4, 1983 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Charelston, South Carolina · Charlston · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210 · all 210s on the register
- Registration
- N8866A · no longer on the register · serial 21062158
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON DOWNWIND FOR A SECOND TOUCH AND GO LANDING THE PLT LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR BUT RECEIVED A SAFE INDICATION ONLY ON THE NOSE GEAR. AFTER 2 HOURS OF ADDITIONAL FLIGHTS AND 5 ATTEMPTS TO LOWER THE GEAR THE PLT WAS FORCED TO LAND WITH THE UNSAFE CONDITION. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE RT LANDING GEAR DOOR ACTUATOR SNAP RING WAS DISLODGED FROM ITS GROOVE, ALLOWING THE HYDRAULIC FLUID TO ESCAPE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,292 hours in all; 129 in this make and model; 144 in the last 90 days; 2,179 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,799 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 1982; 160 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Charlston SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,400 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from CHS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.