# Accident 20041026029309A: Cessna P210N, Wautoma, WI, October 26, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 26, 2004, 16:25 local time
- Place: Wautoma, WI
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.0433° N, 89.1722° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.0433&lon=-89.1722&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5485W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5485W-2013-04-24) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna P210N (registry code 2073454, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-p210n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-520 series (registry code 17040, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA P210N
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 2,561 total, 333 in this make and model, 99 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI05FA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI05FA016) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041026029309A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) AT 1620 UTC, WHILE AT FL200, THE INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT OF N5485W ADVISED MINNEAPOLIS AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER (ZAU-ARTCC) "LOSING MY GYROS, I NEED TO GET DOWN." 1 MINUTE LATER PILOT REPORTS "OK BUT WE HAD A PROBLEM A MINUTE AGO." THE ZAU CONTROLLER TRIES TO FIND A VFR WEATHER DESTINATION AIRPORT. AT 1622 UTC, THE AIRCRAFT REPORTS IN THE CLOUDS AND AT 1623 UTC, THE PILOT STATES "WE ARE GOING INTO A SPIN." CONTACT WAS LOST AT THAT TIME. ON SCENE INVESTIGATION FOUND N5485W WITHOUT EMPENNAGE OR WINGS (APPROX. N44 02.613 W089 10.337). THE EMPENNAGE WAS FOUND (APPROX. N44 02.782 W089 10.383) MISSING THE ELEVATOR, RIGHT STABILIZER, 1/2 OF THE LEFT STABILIZER AND UPPER 2/3 OF THE RUDDER. THE LEFT WING WAS FOUND (APPROX N44 02.877 W089 10.280) MISSING THE AILERON AND FLAP. THE RIGHT WING WAS FOUND (APPROX N44 03.077 W089 10.359) MISSING THE AILERON AND FLAP.

## 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 CHI05FA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI05FA016), Oct 26, 2004: Cessna P210N (N5485W), Wautoma, WI, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot not maintaining airplane control during cruise flight in instrument meteorological conditions after reporting a loss of gyros leading to his exceeding the design load limits of the wings.…

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.

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