Cessna 210A accident near San Diego, California, July 31, 2005
On July 31, 2005 at about 3:02 am local time, a Cessna 210A, registered N9468X, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Diego, California (Gillespie Field). 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 ensure that the landing gear was fully extended prior to landing. A contributing factor was the pilot's diverted attention.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 2005 · about 3:02 am local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · Gillespie Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210A · all 210As on the register
- Registration
- N9468X · registry record · serial 21057768
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The partially extended landing gear collapsed during rollout on the runway. No evidence of a mechanical malfunction was noted with the landing gear system during the pilot's flight. The pilot said that on approach he was distracted while looking for another airplane, and he did not observe whether the green gear down light was illuminated after he extended the landing gear. He increased engine power in anticipation of performing a go-around, then located the other airplane, whereupon he closed the throttle and landed. Seconds later during rollout, the airplane's landing gear collapsed. Airport management reported that the airplane was subsequently hoisted up by a crane, the landing gear was manually extended into the locked position, and the airplane was rolled off the runway. The landing gear extension system and the related gear warning horn were functionally examined after the accident with no anomalies found.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,800 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 6,650 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,579 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2005; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LGB Long Beach CA
- Destination: SEE San Diego CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27R, 5,341 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 2:47 am from SEE
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX05LA251.