Cessna T210N accident near Truckee, California, April 3, 2010
On April 3, 2010 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N4137C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Truckee, California (Truckee-Tahoe Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 identify the snow-covered runway, which resulted in an off-runway landing and subsequent collision with a berm.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 2010 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Truckee, California · Truckee-Tahoe Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4137C · registry record · serial 21063566
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While nearing the vicinity of the destination airport, the pilot received an airport condition report from airport personnel. The report indicated that there was ice with a 1- to 2-inch layer of snow blanketing the runway surface. On final approach, the pilot aligned the airplane for landing and flared over what he thought was the normal touchdown point, when in actuality the airplane touched down about 50 feet north of, and parallel to, the runway. While on the landing roll the airplane encountered a snow berm at the edge of a cross runway that collapsed the nose landing gear and damaged the firewall. The pilot opined that his complacency and deviation from standard aeronautical decisionmaking practices resulted in the accident. The pilot additionally reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures prior to impact.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Snow/slush/ice covered › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,244 hours in all; 1,794 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SQL San Carlos CA at 8:00 am
- Destination: TRK Truckee CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 7,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N4137C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.