- Date
- February 27, 2002, 17:18 local (22:18 UTC)
- Place
- Atlanta, GA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N115CWCessna 210L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Atlanta FSDO-11
- FAA report
- 20020227006049A
- Case key
- 54274
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point and excessive airspeed on landing resulting in the airplane going off the end of the runway, on-ground collision with an embankment, and subsequent nose over.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot was at 4,500 feet three miles from his destination airport when he was cleared to land. He elected not to use flaps due to a 11 knot crosswind and winds gusting at 19 knots. The pilot activated the speed brakes, extended the landing gear, and touched down long and fast on the runway. He initiated light braking action to bleed off airspeed and noticed that he was crossing an intersecting runway. He thought about making a go-around, but noted his airspeed was 60 and he could see the end of the runway. He attempted additional braking action and the airplane went off the end of the runway, down an embankment, and nosed over.
Factual narrative
On February 27, 2002, about 1718 eastern standard time, a Cessna 210L, N115CW, registered to Able To Be There, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight crashed on landing at Fulton County Airport-Brown Field, Atlanta, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The private pilot and pilot rated passenger reported no injuries. The flight originated from Melbourne, Florida, about 1350.
According to the controller at the Fulton County Tower, the pilot came in high and fast. The airplane appeared to touch down on the runway with about 2,100 feet of runway remaining. He did not observe any signs of braking action until the airplane was about 100 feet from the end of the runway. The airplane continued off the end of the runway and down an embankment.
The pilot stated upon reaching the Atlanta area he was asked by approach control if he would accept a vector over Hartsfield International Airport at 4,500 feet which he acknowledged. He was subsequently turned over to Fulton County Tower about three miles from the airport and cleared to land straight in to runway 26. He applied the speed brakes and extended the landing gear upon reaching gear extension speed. He elected not to make a no flap landing due to winds and flared the airplane at about 120. Once on the runway he started light braking action to bleed off airspeed and noticed that he was crossing the intersection of runway 31/14. He though about initiating a go-around but noted his airspeed was 60 and he could see the end of the runway. He attempted more braking action and the airplane went off the end of the runway and down an embankment and sustained damage to the tail section, landing gear and both wings. When asked if he experienced any pre-crash mechanical failure or malfunction he said no, it was simply a pilot error accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N115CW
- Reported as
- Cessna 210L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21060520
- Airframe hours
- 3,947
- Engine
- Continental IO-550, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Able To Be There
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 10, 2001 · 81 hours before
- Departed
- MLB · Melbourne, FL
- Destination
- FTY · Atlanta, GA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- FTY · Fulton County Airporty, runway 26, 5,796 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 146 total · 114 in this make and model · 48 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 19 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 7 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.18 inHg
- Observed at
- FTY
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 25, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.