Cessna P210N accident near Petaluma, California, May 22, 2010
On May 22, 2010, a Cessna P210N, registered N210SL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Petaluma, California (Petaluma Municipal 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 pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind condition and failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in gusty crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 2010
- Place
- Petaluma, California · Petaluma Municipal · 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
- N210SL · registry record · serial P21000129
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the landing roll the airplane was struck by a gust of wind, which he described as "pretty strong." The airport manager reported to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector that the winds at the time of the accident were a direct crosswind at around 40 knots. The airplane departed the side of the runway into a grassy area. As the pilot was correcting back to the runway, the nose landing gear hit a depression and sheared off, and the propeller struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. In a phone conversation, the pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane before 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
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 503 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 10, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,385 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 31, 2010; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-520-P (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pine Lake Leasing Group LLC
The flight
- Departed from: KMOD Modesto CA
- Destination: O69 Petaluma CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,601 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 4,000 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.