Cessna P210N accident near Sarasota, Florida, February 11, 2006
On February 11, 2006 at about 7:18 pm local time, a Cessna P210N, registered N6504P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sarasota, Florida (Sarasota/Bradenton Int'L airport). 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 collapse of the nose 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
- February 11, 2006 · about 7:18 pm local time
- Place
- Sarasota, Florida · Sarasota/Bradenton Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6504P · no longer on the register · serial P21000183
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that after takeoff the flight proceeded to the destination airport where he lowered the landing gear. All landing gears were down and locked, and he visually verified by a mirror that the nose and left main landing gears were down. The landing was reported to be "...firm but not a hard landing", and as the nose lowered, he heard the propeller contact the runway. Postaccident landing gear retraction and extensions testing revealed no discrepancies. The "down switches and warning horn operated normally." Disassembly of the nose gear down lock mechanism revealed no discrepancies. The hydraulic reservoir was full, and there was no hydraulic fluid leakage or nose landing gear structural failure. Slight movement between the 2 down lock hooks was noted, but no locking or binding was noted. The electrical strip at the top of the nose landing gear was noted to be oily and dirty where the nose landing gear down switch wires were connected, and a protestive rubber cover contained a small amount of oil and dirt.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,867 hours in all; 1,855 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,386 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2006; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-P (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KOBE Okeechobee FL at 6:30 pm
- Destination: KSRQ Sarasota FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 9,503 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 18 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 7:22 pm from KSRQ
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.