# Accident 19970306002169A: Cessna T210L, Huntsville, AL, March 6, 1997 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 6, 1997, 18:30 local time - Place: Huntsville, AL - Airport: Huntsville Airport North Airport - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.8706° N, 86.5702° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8706&lon=-86.5702&mi=10 - Aircraft: N2142S, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2142S-1998-01-12) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna T210L (registry code 2073449, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t210l) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA T210L - Reported engine: CONT TSIO520H - People aboard: 3 - Fatal injuries: 3 - Pilot flight hours: 10,000 total, 2 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA97FA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97FA095) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970306002169A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. AIRCRAFT CAUGHT FIRE ON TAKEOFF ROLL AND BURNED. (.4)DURING A WEATHER BRIEFING, THE PILOT WAS GIVEN WEATHER ADVISORIES FOR OCCASIONAL IFR CONDITIONS EN ROUTE, EN ROUTE TURBULENCE, PLUS A TORNADO WATCH THAT WAS JUST TO THE EAST OF HIS LOCATION, MOVING EAST. PILOT-WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE TAKING OFF ON RUNWAY 18. THE PILOT SEEMED TO BE IN A RUSH. THE MALE PASSENGER COMMENTED TO ONE OF THE WITNESSES '...THAT THEY HAD A LIMO RENTED FOR 7:30 [1930].' THE WITNESSES DID NOT OBSERVE ANY ACTION ON THE PART OF THE PILOT THAT 'WOULD [BE] CONSIDER[ED] [A] PRE FLIGHT.' IN ADDITION, '...[THEY] NOTICED...THE WIND WAS BLOWING HARD-MAYBE 20 GUSTING 30-35 KTS. [KNOTS] FROM ABOUT 310 DEGREES.' THE WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE START THE TAKEOFF ROLL 'DOWNWIND.' THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED 'SMOOTH.' AFTER ROLLING ABOUT 1,000 FEET, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO 'HOP AS IF ROTATION WAS ATTEMPTED TOO EARLY, IT THEN LIFTED OFF IMMEDIATELY, BANKED AT LEAST 45 DEGREES LEFT-NOSE HIGH- VEERED LEFT.' THE AIRPLANE WENT 'OUT OF CONTROL...IN A SLIGHT NOSE HIGH, LEFT TURN, CLOSE TO STALL CONFIGURATION, [AND] LOOKED REAL MUSHY....' THE FLIGHT LIFTED OFF THE GROU ND ABOUT 5 FEET, THE RIGHT WING DROPPED, ALMOST STRIKING THE RUNWAY, THEN THE LEFT WING DROPPED. THE LIGHT, A TREE, AND BURST INTO FLAMES. THE REPORTED WINDS 12 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE CRASH SITE, ABOUT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, WERE FROM 300 DEGREES AT 23 KNOTS, WITH GUSTS TO 30 KNOTS. (-23) PIC REPORTEDLY DEPARTED M82 ON MARCH 5, 1997, AT @ 1827L FOR A DIRECT FLIGHT TO TUNICA, MS WITH TWO PASSENGER ON-BOARD. WITNESSES STATED WINDS WERE OUT OF THE NORTH GUSTING TO @ 35 KNOTS. THEY MADE THIS DETERMINATION BASED ON THE POSITION AND CONDITION OF THREE WIND SOCKS ON THE AIRPORT. WITNESSES FURTHER STATED THE PIC ATTEMPTED A DOWN WIND TAKE OFF WITH NO FLAPS. THE AIRCRAFT LEFT THE RUNWAY AT @ 200' INTO THE INITIAL ROLL, AND CONTINUED OFF THE RUNWAY, AT FULL POWER FOR @ 800' UNTIL IT FINALLY HIT BRANCHES OF A PINE TREE BEFORE CATCHING ON FIRE. THE PIC WAS APPARENTLY THROWN FROM THE AIRCRAFT AT SOME POINT. HE SUFFERED SEVERE BURNS AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE BURN CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA HOSPITAL (BIRMINGHAM). HE EXPIRED THE NEXT DAY. THE TWO PASSENGERS WERE UNABLE TO LEAVE THE AIRCRAFT, AND WAS BURNED IN THE WRECKAGE. THERE WAS NOT MUCH LEFT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE NTSB MAY ATTEMPT TO RUN THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE. OTHER THAN THAT, THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES AT THIS TIME. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB MIA97FA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97FA095), Mar 6, 1997: Cessna T210L (N2142S), Meridianville, AL, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's improper decision to takeoff downwind which resulted in his failure to maintain control of the airplane. The winds were a factor. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.