Cessna 210 accident near Pueblo, Colorado, August 3, 1996
On August 3, 1996 at about 9:12 pm local time, a Cessna 210, registered N414N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pueblo, Colorado (Pueblo Memorial 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
improper routing of the nose landing gear hydraulic line by unknown maintenance personnel, allowing it to chafe on the nose wheel and develop a leak, which resulted in an inability to obtain a down-and-locked condition of the landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 1996 · about 9:12 pm local time
- Place
- Pueblo, Colorado · Pueblo Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210 · all 210s on the register
- Registration
- N414N · no longer on the register · serial 57270
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following departure on a cross-country flight, the landing gear would not retract or extend beyond the trail position. The pilot elected to proceed to an airport which had long/hard surface runways and emergency services. Subsequently, the airplane was damaged, during a landing with the gear partially extended. Examination following the landing revealed evidence that improper routing of the nose landing gear hydraulic line had allowed the line to chafe on the nose wheel and develop a leak. Subsequently, hydraulic fluid was depleted by being pumped overboard.
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
- Flight time: 338 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 338 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,064 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 14, 1996; 265 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-E13 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LHX La Junta CO at 8:00 pm
- Destination: STK Sterling CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 35, 8,308 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:22 pm from PUB, 1 miles away
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.