Cessna T210F accident near Englewood, Colorado, August 24, 1989
On August 24, 1989 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna T210F, registered N6121R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Englewood, Colorado (Centennial airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A FAILURE IN THE HYRDRAULIC POWER UNIT, WHICH PREVENTED OPERATION OF EITHER THE NORMAL OR EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION SYSTEMS. THE RAISED RUNWAY LIP CONTRIBUTED TO AIRCRAFT DAMAGE AND PILOT INJURY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 1989 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Centennial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210F · all T210Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6121R · no longer on the register · serial T210-0021
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) & DUAL STUDENT WERE PRACTICING SIMULATED INSTRUMENT APCHS. DRG AN APCH, THE LANDING GEAR FAILED TO EXTEND. THE PILOTS WERE UNABLE TO EXTEND THE GEAR BY USING EITHER THE NORMAL OR EMERGENCY SYSTEMS. SUBSEQUENTLY, AN APCH WAS MADE TO RWY 17 FOR A WHEELS UP LANDING. TO MINIMIZE THE RISKS OF SPARKS & FIRE, THE CFI ELECTED TO LAND THE ACFT ON DIRT, SHORT OF THE THRESHOLD, THEN ALLOW THE ACFT TO SKID ONTO THE PAVED RWY. HOWEVER, HE WAS UNAWARE OF A 6 INCH LIP AT THE RWY THRESHOLD. THE CFI RPRTD THAT DRG THE WHEELS UP LANDING, THE ACFT STRUCK THE RAISED LIP, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD IMPACT. THE CFI RECEIVED A COMPRESSION FRACTURE OF HIS BACK. A POST-ACDNT EXAM OF THE HYDRAULIC POWER UNIT REVEALED A 'LEE PLUG' HAD 'BLOWN OUT.' WITH THE PLUG OUT, NO ENG DRIVEN OR EMERGENCY PUMP PRESSURE COULD HAVE BEEN APPLIED TO THE GEAR EXTENSION SYSTEM.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,386 hours in all; 62 in the last 90 days; 2,204 as pilot in command; 1,688 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,292 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 18, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APA at 3:00 pm
- Destination: APA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 7,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.