# NTSB ATL89FA173: Cessna 210H, N5939F, Piney Flats, TN, July 1, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: June 30, 1989, 21:47 local (Jul 1, 1989, 01:47 UTC)
- Place: Piney Flats, TN
- Coordinates: 36.440601, -82.340522 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.4406&lon=-82.3405&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 4 fatal
- Status: Completed, report May 15, 1992
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 7903
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL89FA173
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/7903/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL89FA173

## Probable cause

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED, AND HIS EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RECOVER FROM AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT.  FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE:  DARKNESS, CLOUD CONDITION, PILOT FATIGUE, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.                                             .

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, cruise
  - light condition - dark night (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor)
  - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (cause)
  - fatigue, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - lack of total instrument time, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, descent - uncontrolled
  - design stress limits of aircraft - exceeded, pilot in command (cause)
  - wing - overload
  - wing - separation
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

THE ACFT WAS ON A VFR X-COUNTRY FLT AT NGT, WHEN AN IN-FLT BREAK-UP OCCURRED. SUBSEQUENTLY, WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER ABOUT A 1.4 MI AREA. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE LEFT WING FAILED IN POSITIVE OVERLOAD APRX 3' OUTBOARD OF THE WING ROOT. THE CABIN DOOR & TAIL SURFACES ALSO SEPD. ALL FRACTURES EXHIBITED EVIDENCE OF OVERLAOD. NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PRE-EXISTING DEFECT WAS FND. THE NON-INST RATED PLT WAS NOT IN CONTACT WITH ANY ATC FACILITY DURING THE FLT. RADAR DATA SHOWED THE ACFT MADE SVRL ALT EXCURSIONS DURING ABOUT A 30 MIN PERIOD BEFORE THE ACDNT. JUST BEFORE DISAPPEARING FM RADAR, THE FLT TRACK DEVIATED TO THE LEFT. THE ACDNT OCCURRED ON A DARK NGT AT ABT 2147 EDT; THOUGH HIS LAST REST PERIOD WAS NOT VERIFIED, THE PLT ROUTINELY SLEPT FM 2100 TO 0400. ABT 5 MI SW AT THE TRI-CITY RGNL ARPT, THE 2152 WX WAS IN  PART: 5000 FT SCT, 8500' BKN, 30,000' OVC, VIS 7 MI, WND FM 130 DEG AT 7 KTS. ELEV OF THE WX STATION WAS 1519'. THE ACFT WAS AT 8700' MSL WHEN RADAR CTC WAS LOST.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5939F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5939F-1990-07-17), registration cancelled 1990-07-17, S/N 21058939 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 210H
- Registry model: [Cessna 210H](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-210h) (registry code 2073436) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 21058939
- Airframe hours: 2400
- Engines: CONTINENTAL IO-520-A 285 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Registered owner: Riverdale Transport, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 20, 1989
- Departed: LEESBURG, VA
- Destination: SELMA, AL

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 68; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 5,900 total, 4,600 in this make and model, 75 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 8,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: TRI, 5 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19890630018679A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890630018679A), Jun 30, 1989: Cessna 210H, Bristol-Johnson, TN, Destroyed, 4 fatal. Indicates spiral dive and exceeding design loads in flight breakup.

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.

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