- Date
- April 7, 2012, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Marienthal, KS
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5981FCessna 210H
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 14, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Wichita FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120407006369A
- Case key
- 83326
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 inadequate compensation for the wind during landing.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that there was a crosswind that was aggravated by a line of trees along the side of the runway, making the air turbulent. On the landing approach, the airplane encountered turbulence or a downdraft, which resulted in the airplane landing hard on its nose gear. The nose gear separated and the airplane nosed over on its back, which resulted in substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that there was a crosswind which was aggravated by a line of trees along the side of the runway, making the air turbulent. On the landing approach, he encountered turbulence or a downdraft, resulting in the airplane landing hard on its nose gear. The nose gear broke off and the airplane nosed over on its back resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5981F
- Reported as
- Cessna 210H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21058981
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO-520-A, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Dirks Darrel
- Registered owner
- Dirks Darrel
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Marienthal, KS
- Destination
- Marienthal, KS
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
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 456 total · 62 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.22 inHg
- Observed at
- GCK
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 3, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 547 KB 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.
Other investigations on N5981F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.