Cessna 210L accident near Tampa, Florida, February 27, 2008
On February 27, 2008 at about 6:41 am local time, a Cessna 210L, registered N5489V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Tampa, Florida (Tampa International Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 malfunction of the right main landing gear down-and-locked switch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 2008 · about 6:41 am local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · Tampa International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210L · all 210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N5489V · no longer on the register · serial 21060961
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While inbound to land, the pilot lowered the landing gear using the normal system and the nose and left main landing gears went into the down and locked position; however, the right main landing gear did not due to a false down-and-locked indication caused by a malfunction of the right main landing gear down-and-locked switch. As such, the pilot observed a green light indicating that all landing gears were down and locked and continued the approach. During the landing roll the right main landing gear collapsed. Postaccident examination revealed that the malfunction of the right down-and-locked switch was caused by a bent plunger, which shut off the electrically-driven hydraulic pump before the right gear went into the down and locked position. Since 1992, the right main landing gear down-and-locked switch had been replaced six times, with the latest replacement occurring in October 2004. The airplane had been operated for 2,082 hours since the latest switch replacement. Additionally, the operator performs gear rigging testing every 300 hours. The latest rigging check occurred on November 15, 2007. The airplane had accumulated approximately 218 hours since then at the time of the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during approach
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear position and warning › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, 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: 2,200 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 1,500 as pilot in command; 1,300 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 4, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,077 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 25, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight Express INC
The flight
- Departed from: CAE Columbia SC at 3:43 am
- Destination: TPA Tampa FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 6,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 am from TPA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.