Cessna 210 accident near Frederick, Maryland, November 13, 2023
On November 13, 2023 at about 12:48 pm local time, a 1961 Cessna 210, registered N9515X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Frederick, Maryland (Frederick Municipal 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 a hydraulic filter, which preluded normal extension of the landing gear. Also causal was the pilot’s failure to confirm that he landing gear was extended before landing, which resulted in a gear up landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 13, 2023 · about 12:48 pm local time
- Place
- Frederick, Maryland · Frederick Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210 A, built 1961 · all 210s on the register
- Registration
- N9515X · registry record · serial 21057815
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that he extended the airplane’s landing gear in preparation to land but did not confirm if the gear was down and locked. As such, he was not aware that the landing gear did not extend due to a failure of the system’s hydraulic filter. The pilot landed gear up, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot said that when the airplane was recovered from the runway, recovery personnel were able to lift the airplane and extend the landing gear using the emergency gear hand pump.
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 not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Failure
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,372 hours in all; 312 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 2,372 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 23, 2022
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,323 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 23, 2023; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470 E (piston); 3,323 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EDE Edenton NC at 11:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,819 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.41 inHg
- Observation at 7:47 am from KFDK
Weather report (METAR): KFDK 131247Z 00000KT 7SM CLR M01/M01 A3041
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on February 1, 2024. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record - Pilot Interview | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Investigation Photos | 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.