- Date
- December 10, 1989, 12:58 local (17:58 UTC)
- Place
- Spindale, NC
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5417CCessna T210N
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19891210049499A
- Case key
- 8107
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-in-command's improper IFR procedure which resulted in descent below the minimum descent altitude. Contributingfactor(s) was: the fog and low ceiling.
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
At 1246, during the VOR approach, the pilot advised he was going to make a 360 deg turn. At 1250 he advised '...we're got her all set up.' At 1256, the pilot reported that he was '...having a hell of a time...here'. The aircraft crashed into trees and a single family house 4 miles se of the airport. Witnesses stated that the airplane circled three times before the accident occurred. Three of the seven occupants of the house received minor injuries. Basic weather data above was reported at greer, SC, 34 miles sw. Witnesses in area of accident reported low ceiling & fog.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5417C
- Reported as
- Cessna T210N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21063746
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-R, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Philip R. Riley
- Departed
- W32 · Clinton, MD
- Destination
- 57A · Rutherfordton, NC
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- 57A · Rutherford County, runway 36, 4,400 × 75 ft
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
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 587 total · 306 in this make and model · 490 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 900 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GSP, 34 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.