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19970828026859A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Cessna T210J · Tucson, AZ · August 28, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 28, 1997 · 21:30 local
Place
Tucson, AZ
Airport
Avra Valley Airport
Phase of flight
Ground Taxi, Other Airplane
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N2280R
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX97LA312
Reported as
Cessna T210J
Reported engine
Continental TSIO520H
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,317 total606 in this make and model7 in the last 90 days
N2280RRegistered now · Cessna T210JS/N T210-0430Airframe modelCessna T210JEngine modelContinental IO-520 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4)The pilot stated that he had a total electrical failure while en route to his destination. He decided to land at an uncontrolled airport that had a lighted runway instead of his usual destination. The landing was made uneventfully, but during the taxi to the ramp area the pilot misjudged his position on the unlighted taxiway and ran off the taxiway into a large drainage ditch. The ditch was not marked, nor was it mentioned in the airport remarks in the airport facility directory or in the NOTAMS. The ditch was estimated to have a depth of approximately 3-4 feet below the surface of the runway, with an estimated slope in excess of 35 degrees. A postaccident examination of the electrical system did not identify the problem other than it was noted that one cell of the battery only charged to 50 percent. Examination of the taxiway found skid marks just prior to the aircraft departing the paved surface of the taxiway. The pilot told investigators that he was unfamiliar with the layout of this airport.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD A TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE WHILE EN ROUTE TO HIS DESTINATION. HE DECIDED TO LAND AT AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT THAT HAD A LIGHTED RUNWAY INSTEAD OF HIS USUAL DESTINATION. THE LANDING WAS MADE UNEVENTFULLY, BUT DURING THE TAXI TO THE RAMP AREA THE PILOT MISJUDGED HIS POSITION ON THE UNLIGHTED TAXIWAY AND RAN OFF THE TAXIWAY INTO A LARGE DRAINAGE DITCH. THE DITCH WAS NOT MARKED, NOR WAS IT MENTIONED IN THE AIRPORT REMARKS IN THE AIRPORT FACILITY DIRECTORY OR IN THE NOTAMS. THE DITCH WAS ESTIMATED TO HAVE A DEPTH OF APPROXIMATELY 3-4 FEET BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE RUNWAY, WITH AN ESTIMATED SLOPE IN EXCESS OF 35 DEGREES. A POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DID NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM OTHER THAN IT WAS NOTED THAT ONE CELL OF THE BATTERY ONLY CHARGED TO 50 PERCENT. EXAMINATION OF THE TAXIWAY FOUND SKID MARKS JUST PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTING THE PAVED SURFACE OF THE TAXIWAY. THE PILOT TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT HE WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE LAYOUT OF THIS AIRPORT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX97LA312Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAvra Valley, AZThe pilot became lost/disoriented during his taxiing into the ramp area. Factors in the accident were the lack of taxiway lights, the pilot's lack of familiarity with the layout of the airport, and the airport operator's failure to either identify the…Aug 29, 1997 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N2280R · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19771104034539AFinal Approach · Glenwood Sprgs, COPiper PA-32 damaged by falling debris from wind sock pole. No bkn,rwy,or taxiway lighting.Nov 4, 1977 · Substantial damageAccident 19730509011239AFinal Approach · Riverton, WYPlt concerned with l x-wind gusting to 45K.May 9, 1973 · Substantial damage