Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On February 17, 1995, at 1115 mountain standard time, a Cessna T210M, N6094B, was substantially damaged during a precautionary landing at the Montrose, Colorado, Airport. The pilot and his two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this personal flight which departed Aspen, Colorado, for Telluride, Colorado, at 0900. No flight plan was filed.

While in cruise flight, the electrical system failed and the pilot elected to proceed to Montrose, an intermediate airport along his route of flight. He contacted the airport on a cellular phone and had equipment standing by while he orbited the area and tried to lower the landing gear by the alternate method.

The nose landing gear locked in place but the mains remained in trail. After burning off fuel, a landing was made and the aircraft went off the side of the runway sustaining damage to the right horizontal stabilizer and right wing tip.

According to a mechanic, who examined the aircraft, he could find no abnormalities in the electrical system. He stated, the electrical failure was probably the result of the pilot failing to turn on the alternator. The pilot said he used proper procedures in operating the electrical system.

According to the same mechanic, the inability of the pilot to lower the landing gear by the alternate method was due to a gear linkage rod being bent. The mechanic said that there was a considerable amount of ice on the aircraft, when he first examined it, following the landing, and that the ice may have interfered with landing gear actuation causing the rod to bend. THE BENT LANDING GEAR EMERGENCY EXTENSION ASSEMBLY AND THE ACCUMULATION OF AIRFRAME ICE WHICH INTERFERED WITH LANDING GEAR ACTIVATION. A FACTOR WAS THE ALTERNATOR FAILURE FOR UNKNOWN REASONS.