20000120000229A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 310R · Plainville, CT · January 20, 2000

Date
January 20, 2000 · 09:32 local
Place
Plainville, CT
Airport
Robertson Field Airport
Phase of flight
To Aborted (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N137TR
NTSB investigation
NTSBIAD00LA017
Reported as
Cessna 310R
Reported engine
Continental TSIO520*
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,548 total836 in this make and model45 in the last 90 days

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.

(.19)On January 20, 2000 at 0932 eastern standard time, a Cessna T310R, N137TR, was substantially damaged when it collided with a fence during an aborted takeoff from the Robertson Field Airport(4B8), Plainville, Connecticut. The certificated commercial pilot and pilot- rated passenter were not injured. Instument meteorological conditions prevailed and and IFR flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR part 91 and destined for portland, Maine (pwm). In a telephone interview, the pilot said the purpose of the flight was to travel to pwm to conduct business. He said he and his passenger arrived at 4B8 approximately 0800, and that snow was falling during the drive to the airport. The pilot said the airplane's engines and interior were pre-heated before his arrival. He said the pre-flight, engine start, and taxi checks were all performed by checklist. The pilot taxied the airplane into position for take off from runway 02 after he received his IFR clearance. The pilot was flying the airplane from the right. He said flaps were set at 10 degrees and full engine power was applied before the brakes were released for the take off roll. During the takeoff roll, the pilot noticed the cockpit door was open. He said: "I heard a 'clunk' and then I saw the door handle had popped half open. I noticed I could see a crack of datlight and heard a rushing sound of wind. We weren't half way down the runway, so I decided to abort. Initially, the braking was so good I didn't have any concerns about stopping. We got to the end but suddenly we weren't braking and we weren't turning. I tried to turn off at the taxiway but it wouldn't turn. It just went straight ahead. It didn't move a dot off centerline. We went off the edge and down the cliff." The airplane overran the departure end of the runway, continued down a steep embankment, stuck a fence and crossed a road. In a written statement, the passenger said: "(the pilot) heard a noise come from the door and saw visible light around the door seal. He immediately elected to abort the take-off before mid-field. The power was brought to idle and braking was commenced. There was plenty of runway left to stop the plane and initially braking was effective. Everything appeared normal and it seemed that the plane would stop in time. However, the brakes became ineffective towards the end of the runway and while the plane was not going very fast it went over the edge." In a telephone interview, a flight instuctor reported he was with a student and his airplane when they noticed N137TR on the runway. He said: "we were parked facing the runway about 2/3 down and about 3 to 4 hundred feet off the runway. There was light snow; about 1/4 inch on all surfaces. I looked up and saw a 310 pass by about 30 to 40 knots, I said to my student, 'geez, I hope he's taking off. I guess not. Oh no, I know what's gonna happen here so let's watch." The flight instuctor said he and his student secured the airplane and drove to the accident site. He said: "from the time we saw the airplane go by to the time we got there was maybe 3 to 5 minutes. There were tracks in the snow as FAR(down the runway) as I could see. If I had to estimate the braking, I would estimate it as fair. Fair to poor." The pilot reported approximately 1,540 hours of flight experience, 830 hours of which were in make and model. The passenger reported 600 hours of flight experience, 165 hours of which were in multi-engine airplanes. He reported approximately 90 hours in the Cessna 310. When questioned about the performance and handling of the airplane, the pilot responded: "everything was working fine. The engines came right up and were working well. Everything was fine with the aircraft." The pilot provided weight and balance information for the accident flight. According to the pilot, the airplane was 4,948 pounds at takeoff. Weather reported at an airport 10 miles east included a visibility 2 1/2 miles in snow. The winds were variable at 3 knots, the temperature was 16 degrees, and the dewpoint was 7 degrees. The runway at the Robertson Field Airport was 3,612 feet long. According to the accelerate stop distance chart in the Cessna model 310 owner's manual, the approximate accelerate stop distance for the airplane at its given weight was 2,680 feet. Among the conditions outlined for the chart were wing flaps in the 'up' position and a level, hard surface, dry runway. (-23) the aircraft started down the runway when the pilot and passenger heard a pop and noticed the top of the cabin door had opened. At that point the pilot aborted the takeoff and pulled the power to the engine to idle. The a/c was about midair at this point and the pilot started to apply the brakes, he said that he could feel the aircraft start to slow down. As the aircraft approached the end of the runway the pilot noted that he could feel the aircraft start to slow down. As teh a/c approached the end of the runway the pilot noted that he could feel the a/c brakes starting to slide andthe a/c seemed to pick up speed. At the end of the runway as the a/c headed for the bank the pilot shut down the engines and turned off the power to the a/c as it went over the bank. The a/c hit barbed wire which was on top of the chain link fence, contacted the road causing the landing gear to collapse and slid across the road and stopped with the nose of the a/c resting on a vacant lot and the tail protruding into the road. (.4) the pilot was seated in the right co-pilot's seat, and the pilot rated passenger was seated in the left pilot's seat during the takeoff roll on a snow-covered runway. The pilot said the door on the right side of the airplane 'popped' open, and he attempted to close it without success. The pilot elected to abort the takeoff by reducing power and applying the brakes. The airplane overran the departure end of the runway, continued down a steep embankment, struck a fence and crossed a road. The pilot reported good braking action when he first aborted, but lost all braking and directional control at the departure end of the runway. A flight instructor who witnessed the accident said that the accident airplane left tracks in the snow the length of the runway, and that braking action was fair to poor. The runway was 3,612 feet long, and the approximate accelerate stop distance for the airplane at its given weight was 2,680 feet. Among the conditions outlined for the chart were wing flaps in the 'up' position and a level, hard surface, dry runway. The pilot said there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.

As the FAA filed it

(.19)ON JANUARY 20, 2000 AT 0932 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA T310R, N137TR, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE DURING AN ABORTED TAKEOFF FROM THE ROBERTSON FIELD AIRPORT(4B8), PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND PILOT- RATED PASSENTER WERE NOT INJURED. INSTUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND AND IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 AND DESTINED FOR PORTLAND, MAINE (PWM). IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT SAID THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO TRAVEL TO PWM TO CONDUCT BUSINESS. HE SAID HE AND HIS PASSENGER ARRIVED AT 4B8 APPROXIMATELY 0800, AND THAT SNOW WAS FALLING DURING THE DRIVE TO THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINES AND INTERIOR WERE PRE-HEATED BEFORE HIS ARRIVAL. HE SAID THE PRE-FLIGHT, ENGINE START, AND TAXI CHECKS WERE ALL PERFORMED BY CHECKLIST. THE PILOT TAXIED THE AIRPLANE INTO POSITION FOR TAKE OFF FROM RUNWAY 02 AFTER HE RECEIVED HIS IFR CLEARANCE. THE PILOT WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE FROM THE RIGHT. HE SAID FLAPS WERE SET AT 10 DEGREES AND FULL ENGINE POWER WAS APPLIED BEFORE THE BRAKES WERE RELEASED FOR THE TAKE OFF ROLL. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PILOT NOTICED THE COCKPIT DOOR WAS OPEN. HE SAID: "I HEARD A 'CLUNK' AND THEN I SAW THE DOOR HANDLE HAD POPPED HALF OPEN. I NOTICED I COULD SEE A CRACK OF DATLIGHT AND HEARD A RUSHING SOUND OF WIND. WE WEREN'T HALF WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY, SO I DECIDED TO ABORT. INITIALLY, THE BRAKING WAS SO GOOD I DIDN'T HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT STOPPING. WE GOT TO THE END BUT SUDDENLY WE WEREN'T BRAKING AND WE WEREN'T TURNING. I TRIED TO TURN OFF AT THE TAXIWAY BUT IT WOULDN'T TURN. IT JUST WENT STRAIGHT AHEAD. IT DIDN'T MOVE A DOT OFF CENTERLINE. WE WENT OFF THE EDGE AND DOWN THE CLIFF." THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, CONTINUED DOWN A STEEP EMBANKMENT, STUCK A FENCE AND CROSSED A ROAD. IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PASSENGER SAID: "(THE PILOT) HEARD A NOISE COME FROM THE DOOR AND SAW VISIBLE LIGHT AROUND THE DOOR SEAL. HE IMMEDIATELY ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKE-OFF BEFORE MID-FIELD. THE POWER WAS BROUGHT TO IDLE AND BRAKING WAS COMMENCED. THERE WAS PLENTY OF RUNWAY LEFT TO STOP THE PLANE AND INITIALLY BRAKING WAS EFFECTIVE. EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL AND IT SEEMED THAT THE PLANE WOULD STOP IN TIME. HOWEVER, THE BRAKES BECAME INEFFECTIVE TOWARDS THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND WHILE THE PLANE WAS NOT GOING VERY FAST IT WENT OVER THE EDGE." IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW, A FLIGHT INSTUCTOR REPORTED HE WAS WITH A STUDENT AND HIS AIRPLANE WHEN THEY NOTICED N137TR ON THE RUNWAY. HE SAID: "WE WERE PARKED FACING THE RUNWAY ABOUT 2/3 DOWN AND ABOUT 3 TO 4 HUNDRED FEET OFF THE RUNWAY. THERE WAS LIGHT SNOW; ABOUT 1/4 INCH ON ALL SURFACES. I LOOKED UP AND SAW A 310 PASS BY ABOUT 30 TO 40 KNOTS, I SAID TO MY STUDENT, 'GEEZ, I HOPE HE'S TAKING OFF. I GUESS NOT. OH NO, I KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN HERE SO LET'S WATCH." THE FLIGHT INSTUCTOR SAID HE AND HIS STUDENT SECURED THE AIRPLANE AND DROVE TO THE ACCIDENT SITE. HE SAID: "FROM THE TIME WE SAW THE AIRPLANE GO BY TO THE TIME WE GOT THERE WAS MAYBE 3 TO 5 MINUTES. THERE WERE TRACKS IN THE SNOW AS FAR(DOWN THE RUNWAY) AS I COULD SEE. IF I HAD TO ESTIMATE THE BRAKING, I WOULD ESTIMATE IT AS FAIR. FAIR TO POOR." THE PILOT REPORTED APPROXIMATELY 1,540 HOURS OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCE, 830 HOURS OF WHICH WERE IN MAKE AND MODEL. THE PASSENGER REPORTED 600 HOURS OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCE, 165 HOURS OF WHICH WERE IN MULTI-ENGINE AIRPLANES. HE REPORTED APPROXIMATELY 90 HOURS IN THE CESSNA 310. WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE AND HANDLING OF THE AIRPLANE, THE PILOT RESPONDED: "EVERYTHING WAS WORKING FINE. THE ENGINES CAME RIGHT UP AND WERE WORKING WELL. EVERYTHING WAS FINE WITH THE AIRCRAFT." THE PILOT PROVIDED WEIGHT AND BALANCE INFORMATION FOR THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE AIRPLANE WAS 4,948 POUNDS AT TAKEOFF. WEATHER REPORTED AT AN AIRPORT 10 MILES EAST INCLUDED A VISIBILITY 2 1/2 MILES IN SNOW. THE WINDS WERE VARIABLE AT 3 KNOTS, THE TEMPERATURE WAS 16 DEGREES, AND THE DEWPOINT WAS 7 DEGREES. THE RUNWAY AT THE ROBERTSON FIELD AIRPORT WAS 3,612 FEET LONG. ACCORDING TO THE ACCELERATE STOP DISTANCE CHART IN THE CESSNA MODEL 310 OWNER'S MANUAL, THE APPROXIMATE ACCELERATE STOP DISTANCE FOR THE AIRPLANE AT ITS GIVEN WEIGHT WAS 2,680 FEET. AMONG THE CONDITIONS OUTLINED FOR THE CHART WERE WING FLAPS IN THE 'UP' POSITION AND A LEVEL, HARD SURFACE, DRY RUNWAY. (-23) THE AIRCRAFT STARTED DOWN THE RUNWAY WHEN THE PILOT AND PASSENGER HEARD A POP AND NOTICED THE TOP OF THE CABIN DOOR HAD OPENED. AT THAT POINT THE PILOT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF AND PULLED THE POWER TO THE ENGINE TO IDLE. THE A/C WAS ABOUT MIDAIR AT THIS POINT AND THE PILOT STARTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, HE SAID THAT HE COULD FEEL THE AIRCRAFT START TO SLOW DOWN. AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE END OF THE RUNWAY THE PILOT NOTED THAT HE COULD FEEL THE AIRCRAFT START TO SLOW DOWN. AS TEH A/C APPROACHED THE END OF THE RUNWAY THE PILOT NOTED THAT HE COULD FEEL THE A/C BRAKES STARTING TO SLIDE ANDTHE A/C SEEMED TO PICK UP SPEED. AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY AS THE A/C HEADED FOR THE BANK THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINES AND TURNED OFF THE POWER TO THE A/C AS IT WENT OVER THE BANK. THE A/C HIT BARBED WIRE WHICH WAS ON TOP OF THE CHAIN LINK FENCE, CONTACTED THE ROAD CAUSING THE LANDING GEAR TO COLLAPSE AND SLID ACROSS THE ROAD AND STOPPED WITH THE NOSE OF THE A/C RESTING ON A VACANT LOT AND THE TAIL PROTRUDING INTO THE ROAD. (.4) THE PILOT WAS SEATED IN THE RIGHT CO-PILOT'S SEAT, AND THE PILOT RATED PASSENGER WAS SEATED IN THE LEFT PILOT'S SEAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON A SNOW-COVERED RUNWAY. THE PILOT SAID THE DOOR ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE 'POPPED' OPEN, AND HE ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE IT WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE PILOT ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF BY REDUCING POWER AND APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, CONTINUED DOWN A STEEP EMBANKMENT, STRUCK A FENCE AND CROSSED A ROAD. THE PILOT REPORTED GOOD BRAKING ACTION WHEN HE FIRST ABORTED, BUT LOST ALL BRAKING AND DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WHO WITNESSED THE ACCIDENT SAID THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE LEFT TRACKS IN THE SNOW THE LENGTH OF THE RUNWAY, AND THAT BRAKING ACTION WAS FAIR TO POOR. THE RUNWAY WAS 3,612 FEET LONG, AND THE APPROXIMATE ACCELERATE STOP DISTANCE FOR THE AIRPLANE AT ITS GIVEN WEIGHT WAS 2,680 FEET. AMONG THE CONDITIONS OUTLINED FOR THE CHART WERE WING FLAPS IN THE 'UP' POSITION AND A LEVEL, HARD SURFACE, DRY RUNWAY. THE PILOT SAID THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES WITH THE AIRPLANE.

NTSB investigation

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