Cessna 210 N884KM accident near Sussex, New Jersey

Probable cause

The pilot’s inadvertent landing gear retraction during approach.

NTSB analysis

The pilot of the retractable-landing-gear-equipped airplane reported that, during approach, the green landing gear extended light was illuminated. He further reported that "it [was] possible that [he] inadvertently cycled the landing gear back to a gear up position." The airplane landed gear up and was destroyed by postaccident fire.

During a telephone interview with a National Transportation Safety Board investigator, the pilot reported that the landing gear handle and the trim wheel were next to each other, and it is probable that, when operating the trim wheel, he moved the landing gear handle. He added that that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA18CA115 for the full record.