N81PC

On April 1, 2007, about 1500 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna T210N, N81PC, experienced a collapsed nose landing gear during the takeoff roll from runway 33 at Metropolitan Oakland International Airport (OAK), Oakland, California. The pilot/owner operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The airplane sustained substantial damage after one of the wings struck the runway. The pilot and one passenger were not injured. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that was originating at the time of the accident on a local area flight; no flight plan had been filed.

In the pilot's written report, he stated that on March 22, 2007, an annual inspection had been completed. He flew the airplane to Bryce Canyon, Utah, the following day. Two days later he attempted to start the airplane for the return flight to OAK. Upon activation of the master switch, the gear horn sounded. He stated that a gear check revealed that the landing gear was "down and locked, squat switches depressed." He checked the circuit breakers and radio switches with the master switch ON, and found that having both avionics master switches in the ON position stopped the gear horn audio and activated "all instruments as well as [the] down and locked green light." The pilot made the return flight to OAK.

On March 26, 2007, he flew the airplane to Sacramento, with the landing gear in the down position. Airborne Electronic found a shorted terminal in the breaker box, repaired it, and returned it to service. The pilot stated that the return flight to OAK was normal, and the landing gear functioned properly.

On the day of the accident, the pilot attempted to start the engine, however, the battery was dead, and he had to get a jump start. After he started the engine, he departed runway 33. On the takeoff climb out the electronics failed and recycling the master did not return power. He returned to land without any problems. He removed the battery and took it to Pacific States Aviation to have it recharged. About 4 hours later, he reinstalled the battery and noted no additional problems. The pilot stated that he taxied out, conducted the pre-takeoff checklist and was on the takeoff roll from runway 33 when the nose landing gear and eventually the left main landing gear retracted. He reduced the throttle, and the airplane slid about 300 feet down the runway.

The incident was upgraded to an accident on April 24, 2007, after a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector examined the airplane and found structural damage to the airframe.

According to maintenance personnel from Beegles Aircraft Service, Inc., Greeley, Colorado, a thorough check of the landing gear and electrical system were conducted, with no discrepancies found. They noted a weak battery, replaced it, and then cycled the landing gear several times. They were not able to reproduce the discrepancy that the pilot had encountered on the accident takeoff roll.