Cessna P210 accident near Jacksonville, Florida, February 20, 2018
On February 20, 2018 at about 8:06 pm local time, a 1981 Cessna P210, registered N81MT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Jacksonville, Florida (Jacksonville Executive At Crai 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 pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear before landing. Contributing to the accident were pilot fatigue and his failure to use the before landing checklist.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 2018 · about 8:06 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Jacksonville Executive At Crai · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210 N, built 1981 · all P210s on the register
- Registration
- N81MT · registry record · serial P21000794
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot in the retractable landing gear-equipped airplane reported that he had been flying an instrument flight rules cross-country flight for about 6 continuous hours. He reported that he felt fatigued and anxious to get out of the airplane, so he decided to refuel enroute. He contacted a nearby tower, and, at that time, he was notified of two aircraft in the pattern. He was able to identify only one airplane before he initiated the approach. During the approach about 100ft above ground level, the tower controller informed the pilot that he needed to go around but did not say why. The pilot thought it to be unwise to abort the landing because he did not know the location of the second airplane in the pattern and continued the approach and landing. He reported that he did not accomplish the GUMPS (Gas Undercarriage Mixture Props) checklist because of the distractions, and the airplane touched down with the landing gear retracted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage longerons and bulkhead. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear/wheel fairing › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Physical › Alertness/Fatigue › (general) › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,057 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 6,057 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 10, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,057 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 12, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO520T (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Coleman Industrial Aviation And Equip Le
The flight
- Departed from: GVQ Batavia NY at 2:04 pm
- Destination: CRG Jacksonville FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 4,008 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.32 inHg
- Observation at 8:13 pm from KCRG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on July 5, 2018. 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 | Photo | 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.