Cessna 210B accident near Bakersfield, California, October 20, 1983
On October 20, 1983 at about 2:32 am local time, a Cessna 210B, registered N9626X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bakersfield, California (Meadows airport). It was a business 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 1983 · about 2:32 am local time
- Place
- Bakersfield, California · Meadows · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210B · all 210Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9626X · registry record · serial 21057926
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO LOWER ALL THREE GEAR USING NORMAL & EMERGENCY PROCEDUCES. THE ACFT LANDED WITH ONLY THE NOSE & LEFT MAIN GEAR EXTENDED. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY WAS FOUND CRACKED & RUPUTRED, RESULTING IN A LOSSOF HYDRAULIC PRESSURE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,240 hours in all; 860 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 2,140 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,573 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 4, 1983; 170 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SMF Sacramento CA at 1:15 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30R, 6,700 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 020° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:33 am from BFL
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.
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.