Cessna T210L accident near Agua Caliente, California, December 9, 2002
On December 9, 2002 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna T210L, registered N732HJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Agua Caliente, California (Agua Caliente Airport). It was a public-use 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 failure of the right main landing gear actuator during the landing roll, which resulted in a collapse of the right main land gear, and loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 2002 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Agua Caliente, California · Agua Caliente Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210L · all T210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N732HJ · no longer on the register · serial 21061523
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and commercial pilot were practicing landings on a hard-surfaced runway. During the accident landing roll, the airplane's right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane veered off the runway. Prior to touchdown, the flight instructor stated that he verified that the landing gear were in the down position, with all three gear down indicators illuminated. Postaccident inspection of the landing gear mechanism disclosed that the left main landing gear and the nose gear were fully extended; the right main landing gear was almost fully retracted. Examination of the right main landing gear actuator revealed that it had bulged and cracked along the axis of the hydraulic cylinder. The fracture surfaces of the crack were indicative of overload facture, with no evidence of fatigue cracks.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,116 hours in all; 488 in this make and model; 108 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 3,228 as pilot in command; 1,878 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 13, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 600 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 12, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,048 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, November 26, 2002; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-540-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: San Diego Air And Marine Branch
The flight
- Departed from: NZY San Diego CA at 10:45 pm
- Destination: L70 Agua Caliente CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 29, 2,500 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from NJK, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.