Cessna T210R accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, April 5, 1996
On April 5, 1996 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna T210R, registered N7659U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Albuquerque Intl 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to extend the landing gear. Factors were his failure to follow the checklist and his diverted attention due to other traffic.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 1996 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Albuquerque Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210R · all T210Rs on the register
- Registration
- N7659U · no longer on the register · serial 21064973
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot aborted a landing after the airplane skipped sideways after touchdown during a crosswind landing. He was instructed by the tower to execute a left downwind and was later cleared to land on runway 30 again. The pilot was advised by the tower that he had traffic ahead and behind him. The airplane landed gear up. The pilot stated that his attention was diverted to the traffic ahead and behind him, and he was also apprehensive about the crosswind landing.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,810 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-CE (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PGA Page AZ at 7:20 pm
- Destination: ABQ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 30, 5,142 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 17 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:23 pm from ABQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.