Cessna 210A accident near Henderson, Nevada, January 27, 2009
On January 27, 2009 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Cessna 210A, registered N210TF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Henderson, Nevada (Henderson Executive Airport). It was a flight test 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
An undetermined failure of the hydraulic power pack to fully extend the main landing gear through both the normal and emergency systems.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 27, 2009 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Henderson, Nevada · Henderson Executive Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210A · all 210As on the register
- Registration
- N210TF · registry record · serial 21057793
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a post-maintenance test flight following the replacement of both the engine-driven hydraulic pump and the hydraulic power pack, both main landing gear failed to fully extend. The overhauled pump and the serviceable power pack were replaced as corrective action to address a repetitive problem with the airplane's hydraulically driven landing gear and flap actuating systems. Although the landing gear had been extended with the emergency extension hand pump during the preceding post-maintenance test flight (when the gear failed to fully extend using the normal system), it failed to do so during the accident flight. The pilot therefore landed with the main gear partially extended, resulting in the airplane departing the runway and impacting rough terrain. A series of post-accident inspections and tests did not reveal any evidence of anomalies, malfunctions, or leaks associated with the airplane's hydraulic plumbing, hydraulic fittings, or engine-driven hydraulic pump. The hydraulic power pack, which controls the function of the flap system, as well as both the normal and emergency gear extension and retraction systems, was also tested and disassembled for internal inspection. Although the power pack , which was described by the testing technician as an older unit needing overhaul, displayed a number of minor discrepancies during the testing and inspection process, it successfully passed a functional test sequence. The technician also stated that the power pack may have failed to operate the flaps, the normal landing gear extension, and emergency landing gear extension modes because of particulate contamination of the fluid restricting the movement or alignment of a poppet valve. He stated that any such contamination might be dislodged by the impact forces created during the accident sequence, and then flushed from the system by the flow of fluid during the functional bench test sequence.
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 maneuvering
- Landing gear not configured during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Hydraulic power system › (general) › Malfunction
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Inoperative
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 10,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 26, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,627 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,870 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-470E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mojave Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: KHND Henderson NV at 6:00 pm
- Destination: KHND Henderson NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35R, 5,001 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.