Cessna T210K accident near Midland, Texas, May 9, 2012
On May 9, 2012 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna T210K, registered N727FA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Midland, Texas (Midland 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 failure of the right main landing gear to fully extend before landing due to a bent downlock adjustment screw.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 2012 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Midland, Texas · Midland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210K · all T210Ks on the register
- Registration
- N727FA · registry record · serial 21059414
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot realized that the right main landing gear failed to extend before landing; they followed the emergency checklist procedure to manually pump the gear down. However, the pilot was unable to extend the gear, and the right main landing gear collapsed upon landing. When the airplane was recovered, the right gear was locked in the extended position, and the airplane was towed to a hangar and placed on jacks. The landing gear was then cycled successfully numerous times; the right main landing gear's failure to extend could not be duplicated. Further examination revealed that the top end of the right main landing gear's downlock adjustment screw was slightly bent. When the bent screw was positioned so that it leaned against the landing gear's downlock mechanism during the extension cycle, the landing gear system's downlock engaged before the gear was fully seated in the gear saddle. The position of the adjustment downlock screw was not documented until after the landing gear had been cycled several times; however, the condition is consistent with the pilot’s inability to manually extend the landing gear using the emergency hand pump. No other mechanical anomalies were noted, and the landing gear system operated normally after the adjustment downlock screw was replaced. It is unknown how the downlock adjustment screw got bent or how long it had been in that condition.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear actuator › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 275 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,973 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 26, 2011
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Corporate Services LLC
The flight
- Departed from: BTR Baton Rouge LA at 11:30 am
- Destination: MAF Midland TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 34L, 9,501 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from MAF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.