Cessna P210N accident near Johnstown, New York, March 2, 2021
On March 2, 2021 at about 12:47 pm local time, a 1979 Cessna P210N, registered N4629K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Johnstown, New York (Fulton County 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
A failure of the landing gear system hydraulic pump assembly for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence. Contributing was the pilot’s failure to confirm that the landing gear was down and locked before landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 2021 · about 12:47 pm local time
- Place
- Johnstown, New York · Fulton County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N, built 1979 · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4629K · registry record · serial P21000247
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 30 minutes after climbing to 10,000 ft above mean sea level, the pilot began hearing “an unfamiliar buzzing or humming noise” that became increasingly louder. After attempting to troubleshoot the issue, he decided to divert to an airport along his route. Soon after, he smelled “electrical fumes” and noted smoke in the cockpit. He diverted to the nearest suitable airport for a precautionary landing and the landing gear collapsed during the landing roll. The airplane skidded on the runway and tipped to the left, substantially damaging the left elevator. The pilot stated that he and a mechanic examined the airplane after the accident and noted that the circuit breaker for the hydraulic pump had popped and a hose near the hydraulic power pack assembly, which contains the hydraulic pump, was partially melted. They then removed the hydraulic power pack. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector subsequently oversaw a postaccident examination of the airplane. The examination revealed that hydraulic pump motor assembly displayed signatures and had an odor consistent with being overheated. Due to the hydraulic power pack being previously removed by the pilot and mechanic, the hydraulic fluid level could not be determined, and no further testing was possible to isolate malfunctions of the hydraulic pump assembly. The pilot reported that although he visually verified that the landing gear was down before the landing, he did not observe the landing gear position indicator and verify that they were locked in the down position before landing. Had he performed this action, he could have recognized this condition before the subsequent landing gear collapse, and it is possible that he could have taken the appropriate steps to manually complete the landing gear extension cycle.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during enroute
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during enroute
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear position and warning › Not used/operated
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 894 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 171 in the last 90 days; 73 in the last 30 days; 860 as pilot in command; 503 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,688.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 18, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550P (piston); 1,154 hours total
- Operator: Beta Air LLC
The flight
- Departed from: BTV Burlington VT at 12:00 pm
- Destination: HNZ Oxford NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 10/2, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 17 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 3°F (-16°C), dew point -9°F (-23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 7:36 am from NY0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
10 documents, released by the NTSB on January 23, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statements | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record - Alterations to Wreckage | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | POH Excerpts | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Maintenance Manual Excerpts | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Maintenance Logbook Excerpts | PDF, 24 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Memorandum for Record - Wreckage Examination | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.