San Luis Valley Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Alamosa, Colorado 81101
Thursday, November 17, 1994 11:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT, FOLLOWING A POST MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT EXTEND. THE PILOT CONDUCTED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING TO A DIRT RUNWAY, WHICH GAVE HIM THE BEST WIND. HE SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE ON SHORT FINAL AND HIS GLIDE FAILED TO REACH THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN ROUGH AND UNEVEN TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE NOSE LANDING GEAR DOWNLOCK SPRING FAILED JAMMING THE NOSE GEAR IN THE RETRACTED POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE BY THE PILOT TO PROPERLY JUDGE THE TOUCH DOWN POINT. FACTORS WERE: FAILURE OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR TO EXTEND AND ROUGH AND UNEVEN TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/17/1994
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City ALAMOSA
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81101
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SAN LUIS VALLEY REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ALS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 60
Airport Elevation 7535
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1056 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID ALS
Elevation of weather observation facility 7535
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 22
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1633
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 17 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2021
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:37PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N731QH
NTSB Number FTW95LA051
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model P210N
Aircraft Series Identifier P210N
Aircraft Serial Number P21000526
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 11 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 52
Airframe Hours 2471
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SPUD SELLER, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2455 E. RD. 4 N.
Aircraft Owner City MONTE VISTA
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81144
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code ALS
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code ALS
Destination City
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --