Cessna P210N N4598K

Summary

On 14 December 1995 at about 16:00 local time, a Cessna P210N registered N4598K was involved in an accident near Grass Valley, California, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 December 1995 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Grass Valley, California, United States

Nearest airport

Nevada County Airpark (O17)

Coordinates

39.1806, -120.9799

Aircraft

Cessna P210N

Registration

N4598K

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Novato

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX96LA072

Nobody was injured.

the failure of the pilot to follow the before starting engine checklist and ensure that the landing gear selector was in the down position, and the pilot's decision to takeoff with a known aircraft deficiency.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT ABORTED HIS FIRST TAKEOFF BECAUSE THE ENGINE PRODUCED ONLY 25 INCHES OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE AND NOT THE NORMAL TAKEOFF POWER OF 38 INCHES AT 2,700 RPM. THE PILOT TURNED THE FUEL BOOST PUMP SWITCH TO LOW AND WAS ABLE TO GAIN 3 MORE INCHES OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE, BUT AGAIN NOT FULL TAKEOFF POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A SECOND TAKEOFF. AT 80 KNOTS THE PILOT ROTATED THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE BECAME LIGHT ON THE LANDING GEAR, AT WHICH TIME THE LANDING GEAR BEGAN TO RETRACT. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY SAW THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE WAS IN THE UP POSITION AND MOVED IT TO THE DOWN POSITION. THE AIRPLANE SETTLED TO THE RUNWAY WITH ONE OF THE MAIN LANDING GEAR NOT FULLY EXTENDED. THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK THE CONCRETE FOOTING OF A RUNWAY EDGE LIGHT UNDER CONSTRUCTION. THE POSITION OF THE LANDING GEAR LEVER IS LISTED AS AN ITEM ON THE AIRPLANE'S BEFORE STARTING ENGINE CHECKLIST. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION FOUND THAT WOULD ACCOUNT FOR THE 8- TO 10-INCH DROP IN MANIFOLD PRESSURE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.