Cessna 210L accident near Seattle, Washington, August 13, 2011
On August 13, 2011 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 210L, registered N732FY, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (IFR final approach) near Seattle, Washington (Boeing Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of electrical power while on final approach due to a depleted battery, which resulted in an intentional gear-up emergency landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 2011 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Seattle, Washington · Boeing Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210L · all 210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N732FY · no longer on the register · serial 21061490
- 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 final approach for landing, she lowered the flaps to 10 degrees and placed the landing gear lever to the “down” position. While the gear was coming down, the airplane lost all electrical power. The pilot stated that she thought the safest course of action would be to land in the grass between the runways because she did not think she had sufficient time to manually pump the landing gear down. She reported that, with the 10-degree flap setting, the airplane was a little faster than normal during the approach but that the gear-up landing was smooth. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the battery was depleted. Maintenance personnel jacked up the airplane and successfully performed a landing gear retraction and extension with an auxiliary power unit connected. They then installed a shop battery and successfully completed normal retraction and emergency extensions.
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
- Electrical system malf/failure during approach (IFR final approach) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Electrical power system › Battery/charger › Inoperative
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 582 hours in all; 326 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 490 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,052 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 18, 2011; 18 hours since
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental Motors TSIO-520-R9B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Saccio Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: FHR Friday Harbor WA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: BFI Seattle WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13R, 10,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KBFI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.