- Date
- August 22, 2012, 10:20 local (16:20 UTC)
- Place
- Boulder, CO
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N85SCessna T210N
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 5, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20120822018609A
- Case key
- 84761
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 decision to continue the unstable approach, which resulted in a loss of control during landing and a runway excursion.
Findings · 3
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 stated that he overshot the final approach to the runway and had to maneuver the airplane back to the final approach course. Because the airplane was high on the approach, he extended 30 degrees of flaps and descended at an airspeed of between 80 and 85 knots. The pilot stated that he thought that the approach was not stabilized; however, he continued the approach and landed. The pilot further stated that, during the landing roll, he thought that the airplane was being pushed by a strong tailwind and that he was unable to stop the airplane before the end of the runway. The airplane departed the runway, went down an embankment, and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe and both wings. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot was returning to the airport to land on runway 8. He stated that he overshot the final approach and had to maneuver the airplane back to the final approach course. The airplane was high on the approach so he extended 30 degrees of flaps and descended at an airspeed between 80 and 85 knots. The pilot stated that he felt that the approach was not stabilized; however, he continued the approach and landed. During the landing roll the pilot felt that he was being pushed by a strong tailwind and was unable to stop the airplane before the end of the runway. The airplane departed the runway environment to the right, went down a 65 foot embankment, and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe and both wings. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident. Wind at the time of the accident was recorded as 340 degrees at 4 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N85S
- Reported as
- Cessna T210N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21063107
- Airframe hours
- 5,391.4
- Engine
- Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 4, 2012
- Departed
- KBDU · Boulder, CO
- Destination
- KBDU · Boulder, CO
- Airport
- KBDU · Boulder Municipal Airport, runway 08, 4,100 × 75 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
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 12, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,308 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 2,145 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- KBDU, 1 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 12, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.3 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.