Paradise Skypark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Paradise, California 95969
Thursday, April 11, 1996 9:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

As the pilot was approaching the destination airport, one of the passengers requested that the airplane's rate of descent be slowed because of ear problems. Accordingly, the pilot decreased the airplane's rate of descent to 300 feet per minute. The pilot indicated that he continued the shallow descent rate throughout the landing touchdown which was made using flaps and partial engine power. After touchdown, the pilot heard the sound of the landing gear position warning horn. The airplane slid to a stop with only the nose gear extended. The main gear were found in a partially extended (trailing) position. During the recovery operation and the subsequent examination of the entire landing gear system, no defects or malfunctions were noted.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to follow landing gear extension procedures by not confirming that the gear was fully extended prior to touchdown. A contributing factor was the interference/alteration of the pilot's customary habit pattern due to his response to a passenger's request for a decrease in the descent rate.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/11/1996
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 915
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PARADISE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95969
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PARADISE SKYPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Q88
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1300
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 285
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 11 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1225
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:57AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9820Y
NTSB Number LAX96LA165
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model T210N
Aircraft Series Identifier T210N
Aircraft Serial Number 2106460
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 Sep 6 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 83
Airframe Hours 2960
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FORTUNA COMMUNICATIONS CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4102 JACOBS AVE.
Aircraft Owner City EUREKA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95501
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NORTHERN AIR
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 CNWA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ACV
Departure City ARCATA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 815
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code Q88
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 35
Runway Length 2700
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --