Cessna 210 accident near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, September 7, 2008
On September 7, 2008 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Cessna 210, registered N6515X, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Pagosa Springs, Colorado (Stevens Field 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the landing gear to extend for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 2008 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Pagosa Springs, Colorado · Stevens Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210 · all 210s on the register
- Registration
- N6515X · registry record · serial 57151
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to landing, the pilot attempted to lower the landing gear with the gear switch in the cockpit. The "gear would not extend down with [the] switch, therefore, I used the hand pump and it extended down 25 percent were it stopped." The pilot contacted a mechanic via cell phone and the mechanic advised him the problem could not be fixed while flying. The pilot landed the airplane with the landing gear partially retracted. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane and landing gear system. No anomalies were noted with the landing gear system. The reason for the occurrence was not determined.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during approach defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 240 hours in all; 192 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 222 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 31, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,200.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 17, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q58 Santa Rosa NM at 3:50 pm
- Destination: PSO Pagosa Springs CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 19, 8,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 12:45 pm
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN08LA153.