Thermal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Thermal, California 92274
Thursday, July 27, 1989 16:11 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A CESSNA 210 DEPARTED THERMAL, CA FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT TO FUNCTIONALLY CHECK THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM DUE TO A PREVIOUS PROBLEM. THE GEAR RETRACTED NORMALLY HOWEVER THE NOSE GEAR WOULD NOT EXTEND WHEN THE LANDING GEAR WAS LOWERED. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS THE PILOT MADE A SOFT FIELD LANDING WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED. EXAMINATION OF THE NOSE GEAR FOUND THAT THE UPLOCK HAD TWISTED IN PLACE FROM ITS ORIGINAL POSITION DUE TO AN ELONGATED BOLT HOLE FROM PREVIOUS MAINTENANCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A TWISTED NOSE GEAR UPLOCK DUE TO AN ELONGATED BOLT HOLE WHICH PREVENTED THE NOSE GEAR FROM EXTENDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/27/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1611
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City THERMAL
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92274
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport THERMAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TRM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 117
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 43
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1653
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 31 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40558
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:52PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N76RR
NTSB Number LAX89LA250
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 210
Aircraft Series Identifier 210
Aircraft Serial Number 57057
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Nov 1 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3134
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RALPH J SHAFFER
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 268
Aircraft Owner City COACHELLA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92236
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RALPH J. SHAFFER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 268
Operator City COACHELLA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92236
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1412
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --