Cessna T210N accident near Paradise, California, April 11, 1996
On April 11, 1996 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N9820Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paradise, California (Paradise Skypark airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to follow landing gear extension procedures by not confirming that the gear was fully extended prior to touchdown. A contributing factor was the interference/alteration of the pilot's customary habit pattern due to his response to a passenger's request for a decrease in the descent rate.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 1996 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Paradise, California · Paradise Skypark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N9820Y · no longer on the register · serial 2106460
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the pilot was approaching the destination airport, one of the passengers requested that the airplane's rate of descent be slowed because of ear problems. Accordingly, the pilot decreased the airplane's rate of descent to 300 feet per minute. The pilot indicated that he continued the shallow descent rate throughout the landing touchdown which was made using flaps and partial engine power. After touchdown, the pilot heard the sound of the landing gear position warning horn. The airplane slid to a stop with only the nose gear extended. The main gear were found in a partially extended (trailing) position. During the recovery operation and the subsequent examination of the entire landing gear system, no defects or malfunctions were noted.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,300 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 6,965 as pilot in command; 3,228 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,960 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 6, 1995; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northern Air
The flight
- Departed from: ACV Arcata CA at 3:15 pm
- Destination: Q88
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 35, 2,700 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.