Cessna T210M accident near Laramie, Wyoming, May 21, 2000
On May 21, 2000 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Cessna T210M, registered N66DF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Laramie, Wyoming (Laramie Regional airport). It was an instructional 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 pilot-in-command's failure to confirm, the landing gear was down and locked. Factors were the check pilot's failure to confirm the landing gear was down and locked, and the sun glare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 2000 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Laramie, Wyoming · Laramie Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210M · all T210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N66DF · registry record · serial 210-62141
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was taking the commercial pilot practical test for airplanes, single engine, land, and had advanced to the takeoff and landing phase of the test. He lowered the landing gear and extended the flaps. He thought the GEAR DOWN green light had illuminated and he announced, 'gear down and locked' (the sun came through the rear window and the glare illuminated the landing gear indicator lights). As the airplane approached the runway threshold, the pilot retarded the throttle. The gear warning horn did not sound. The airplane landed wheels up. The landing gear warning horn then began sounding. The landing gear selector was in the DOWN position, the nose gear doors were open, and the nose gear was partially extended. The main landing gear doors were partially open, but the main landing gear was not extended.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,147 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 5,938 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,206 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 1999; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R9B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAR at 8:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 7,700 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:05 pm from LAR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.