Cessna T210L accident near San Jose, California, January 12, 1985
On January 12, 1985 at about 6:27 am local time, a Cessna T210L, registered N4691Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Jose, California (San Jose Muni 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
- January 12, 1985 · about 6:27 am local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · San Jose Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210L · all T210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N4691Q · no longer on the register · serial 21059591
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FIRST LEG OF THE FLIGHT, PLT DISCOVERED THAT LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT EXTEND. PRESSURIZING 'DOWN SIDE' WITH EMERGENCY HAND PUMP ALLOWED NORMAL OPERATION OF THE LANDING GEAR. ON RETURN FLT TO SAN JOSE, PLT TRIED TO EXTEND THE GEAR BUT SYSTEM WOULD NOT WORK WITH EITHER THE NORMAL OR EMERGENCY SYSTEM. ACFT LANDED GEAR UP AND INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM DISCLOSED A ONE-HALF INCH PIECE OF PACKING IN THE NOSE GEAR MANIFOLD NEAR THE DOOR CLOSE VALVE, AND A THERMAL RELIEF VALVE STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION BY A BUILD-UP OF 'DARK COLORED GREASY RESIDUE' ON THE SPRING.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,015 hours in all; 245 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 1,015 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,289 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 12, 1984; 235 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHX Phoenix AZ
- Destination: SJC San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30R, 4,419 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:27 am from SJC
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.