Cessna 210L accident near Morrilton, Arkansas, February 4, 2003
On February 4, 2003 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 210L, registered N22432, was substantially damaged in an accident near Morrilton, Arkansas (Petit Jean Park 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
The failure of the main landing gear to extend and lock, as a result of a hydraulic fluid leak caused by a chaffed and ruptured flex line.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 2003 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Morrilton, Arkansas · Petit Jean Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210L · all 210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N22432 · no longer on the register · serial 210-59746
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft was substantially damaged during a gear-up landing on the grass adjacent to Runway 21. The 2,000-hour pilot reported that he "lowered" the landing gear handle to configure the aircraft for landing at Morrilton. According to the pilot, the gear began to extend and then stopped. The pilot checked the circuit breaker that controlled the electric hydraulic pump, and found it to be engaged. He then cycled the gear switch to no avail. The pilot flew over the airport and received visual confirmation from ground personnel that the nose landing gear was in the down position, but both main landing gear were "half way down." After attempting to use the emergency landing gear hand pump to no avail, the pilot elected to perform a gear-up landing. Examination of the aircraft by the pilot revealed hydraulic fluid in and around the nose gear wheel well. Upon closer examination, the flex line to the nose gear hydraulic cylinder was observed to be chaffed and ruptured. The ruptured flex line allowed all of the hydraulic fluid to be pumped overboard and rendered both the electric primary pump and the hand operated emergency pump inoperative.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,875 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 6, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 5, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L8B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7M5 Ozark AR at 7:45 pm
- Destination: MPJ Morrilton AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 5,853 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.