Cessna T210 N501SF

Summary

On 20 August 2019 at about 21:35 local time, a Cessna T210 registered N501SF was involved in an accident near Eugene, Oregon, United States. One person was 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

20 August 2019 at 21:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Eugene, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

Mahlon Sweet Field Airport (EUG)

Coordinates

44.1236, -123.2022

Aircraft

Cessna T210

Registration

N501SF

Category

Airplane

Year built

1977

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Eugene → Eugene

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR19LA237

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the landing gear electric motor to shut off after landing gear retraction, which resulted in the motor overheating, burning out, and producing smoke in the cockpit. The pilot’s decision to land with the landing gear retracted resulted in substantial damage to the airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Shortly after departing on a solo flight, at an altitude of about 3,000 ft mean sea level, the student pilot detected smoke in the cockpit. He immediately returned to the departure airport and landed gear up, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. The pilot stated that he chose to land with the gear up because he believed the airplane was on fire and “…just wanted to get the airplane on the ground.” The pilot did not report any other mechanical anomalies with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A postaccident examination of the landing gear system revealed that the electric motor that powered the hydraulic power pack likely remained powered after the landing gear had been retracted. When the motor failed to shut off, it overheated and burned out, which likely resulted in smoke entering the cockpit. The reason for the motor anomaly could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.