Cessna T210N accident near Oakland, California, April 1, 2007
On April 1, 2007 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N81PC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oakland, California (Metropolitan Oakland 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
Collapse of the landing gear for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 1, 2007 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Oakland, California · Metropolitan Oakland Intl
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N81PC · registry record · serial 21063620
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While attempting to start the airplane 2 days after an annual inspection, the landing gear warning horn sounded upon activation of the master switch. The pilot checked the landing gear and found it in the down and locked position with the squat switches depressed. He also noted that with both of the avionics master switches in the ON position, the landing gear warning horn stopped, the instrument panel lights activated, and the landing gear down and locked green light illuminated. He made the return flight home and the following day flew the airplane, with the landing gear in the extended position, to an avionics shop. During the inspection, a shorted terminal in the breaker box was found and repaired. During a return flight to the pilot's home base the landing gear system functioned normally. Five days later, the pilot attempted to start the engine. He realized the battery was dead and got a jump start. The avionics then failed during the takeoff initial climb. He recycled the avionics master, but power to the avionics was not returned. The pilot returned and landed without problems. The battery was removed, recharged, and then replaced. The pilot noted that everything functioned properly and he decided to continue his flight. During the takeoff roll, the nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane slid down the runway, with the left main landing gear eventually collapsing. During an inspection of the aircraft, an FAA inspector noted structural damage to the airframe. Maintenance personnel inspected the landing gear and electrical system and found no discrepancies. They replaced a weak battery and cycled the landing gear several times. They were not able to reproduce the discrepancy encountered by the pilot during the accident takeoff roll.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 6,400 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,531 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2007; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OAK Oakland CA at 10:00 pm
- Destination: OAK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,372 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from OAK
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.
Other NTSB records under N81PC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.