Cessna T210M accident near Aspen, Colorado, July 2, 2003
On July 2, 2003 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna T210M, registered N761XE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aspen, Colorado (Pitkin County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 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 landing gear actuator switch. Factors relating to the accident were the false landing gear indication, the precautionary landing, and the improper maintenance adjustment performed on the landing gear switch prior to the accident flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2003 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Aspen, Colorado · Pitkin County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210M · all T210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N761XE · registry record · serial 21062594
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that on departure, he could not get the landing gear to retract. The pilot elected to terminate the flight and returned to the airport to land. The pilot said that during the landing, he attempted to set the airplane down "softly." On touchdown, the airplane's right main landing gear collapsed causing substantial damage to the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The airplane spun around 180 degrees before coming to a stop on the runway. An examination of the landing gear system showed that there was a loose wire in the landing gear handle, which sent a false indication to the right main gear actuator switch, causing the system to unlock the gear but not initiate landing gear retraction. No other anomalies were found. The pilot reported that prior to the accident flight, he had maintenance performed on the landing gear indicator light.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,300 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 300 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,561 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2003; 120 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASE Aspen CO at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 7,004 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from ASE, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N761XE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.