Cessna T210N accident near Fargo, North Dakota, October 1, 1997
On October 1, 1997 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N5168A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fargo, North Dakota (Hector Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the circuit breaker for the hydraulic pump popped during gear extension which resulting in the failure of the landing gear to lock in the extended position.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 1997 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fargo, North Dakota · Hector Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5168A · registry record · serial 21063294
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot extended the landing gear 3 to 4 miles prior to landing. During the landing flare the landing gear warning horn sounded. The pilot reported that it was too late to initiate a go-around so he continued the landing during which the landing gear collapsed. Postaccident testing of the landing gear system revealed the hydraulic pump circuit breaker would pop when the landing gear was extended. This resulted in the gear being in a trailing unlocked position.
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: 1,463 hours in all; 365 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,345 as pilot in command; 118 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,641 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 16, 1997; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5ND6 Hillsboro ND at 1:00 pm
- Destination: FAR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 9,546 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 17 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:42 pm from FAR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.