# Accident 19991005028599A: Cessna 210B, Tonopah, NV, October 5, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 5, 1999, 19:52 local time - Place: Tonopah, NV - Airport: Tonopah - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: In Traffic Pattern-Circling - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 38.7898° N, 117.1095° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7898&lon=-117.1095&mi=10 - Aircraft: N9609X, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9609X-2003-10-31) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 210B (registry code 2073410, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-210b) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental I0-470 series (registry code 17027, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 210B - Reported engine: CONT IO470S - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 6,104 total, 842 in this make and model, 11 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00LA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA005) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991005028599A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON OCTOBER 5, 1999, ABOUT 2035 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 210B, N9609X, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE ON A LEFT BASE LEG FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 15 AT TONOPAH, NEVADA. MAJONNIER ENTERPRISES INC. OPERATED THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT'S DEPARTURE POINT AND DEPARTURE TIME HAVE NOT BEEN DETERMINED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPORT OPERATOR REPORTED THE AIRPLANE REQUESTED ADVISORIES ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY. THE RUNWAY LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE OPERATOR AWAITED THE AIRPLANE'S ARRIVAL. WHEN THE AIRPLANE DID NOT APPEAR AND THE RUNWAY LIGHTS SHUT OFF AUTOMATICALLY, THE OPERATOR BEGAN LOOKING FOR THE AIRPLANE. HE SAW A ROTATING RED LIGHT, DROVE TO THE SITE, AND DISCOVERED THE AIRPLANE. HE REPORTED THE TWO OCCUPANTS WERE SOMEWHAT DAZED, SUFFERED CUTS AND BRUISES, AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE OPERATOR TURNED THE FUEL SWITCH FROM RIGHT TO OFF, AND TURNED THE ELECTRICAL MASTER SWITCH OFF. HE NOTED IT WAS A VERY DARK NIGHT. REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE PILOT/OW NER/OPERATOR SINCE THE ACCIDENT HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. (-23) PILOT DID NOT MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE IN THE PATTERN AND CONTACTED THE GROUND ON BASE LEG. HE INDICATES THAT HE LOST VISUAL GROUND REFERENCE IN THE DARK. (-4)ON OCTOBER 5, 1999, ABOUT 1952 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 210B, N9609X, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE ON A LEFT BASE LEG FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 15 AT TONOPAH, NEVADA. THE PILOT OPERATED THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN YELM, WASHINGTON, WITH STOPS IN CHEHALIS, WASHINGTON, AND KLAMATH FALLS, OREGON. THE PILOT DEPARTED KLAMATH FALLS AT 1737. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPORT OPERATOR REPORTED THE AIRPLANE REQUESTED ADVISORIES ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY. THE RUNWAY LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE OPERATOR AWAITED THE AIRPLANE'S ARRIVAL. WHEN THE AIRPLANE DID NOT APPEAR, AND THE RUNWAY LIGHTS SHUTOFF AUTOMATICALLY, THE OPERATOR BEGAN LOOKING FOR THE AIRPLANE. HE SAW A ROTATING RED L IGHT IN THE AREA WHERE THE BASE LEG SHOULD HAVE BEEN FLOWN, DROVE TO THE SITE, AND DISCOVERED THE AIRPLANE. HE REPORTED THE TWO OCCUPANTS WERE SOMEWHAT DAZED, SUFFERED CUTS AND BRUISES, AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE OPERATOR TURNED THE FUEL SWITCH FROM RIGHT TO OFF, AND TURNED THE ELECTRICAL MASTER SWITCH OFF. HE NOTED IT WAS A VERY DARK NIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THE GROUND LEVEL AT THE POINT OF CONTACT WAS HIGHER THAN THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD AND THE THRESHOLD LIGHTS WERE NOT IN VIEW. HE SAID THERE WAS NO LIGHTS EAST OF THE RUNWAY TO REFERENCE ONCE THE AIRPLANE PASSED ABEAM THE THRESHOLD LIGHTS ON THE DOWNWIND LEG UNTIL THE THRESHOLD LIGHTS WERE REACQUIRED. IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PILOT NOTED, "APPARENTLY EXCESSIVE ALTITUDE WAS LOST WHILE ON DOWNWIND." DURING THE BASE TURN, THE LEFT WHEEL CONTACTED THE GROUND AND ROLLED FOR A SHORT DISTANCE BEFORE COLLAPSING AS THE AIRPLANE SLID TO A STOP. ## 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 LAX00LA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA005), Oct 6, 1999: Cessna 210B (N9609X), Tonopah, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to monitor his altitude and maintain an adequate terrain clearance during the approach. The dark night lighting conditions and the visual illusion created by the lack of ground… ## Other reports on N9609X (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19841119070739I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19841119070739I), Nov 19, 1984: Cessna 210B (N9609X), So Lake Tahoaho, CA, Minor damage. Distracted by inability to contact closed tower. Failed to lower gear. 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.