CHI00LA056

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 210 · South Lyon, MI · December 25, 1999

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
December 25, 1999, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
Place
South Lyon, MI
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
N7493ECessna 210
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 2, 2001
Report
Approved by Office Director
Case key
48444

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 failure of the throttle and the unsuitable terrain encountered by the pilot in the taxi area. Factors were the collapsed nose gear and the rough terrain,

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.

Loss of engine power(partial) - mech failure/malfTakeoff
Throttle/power lever - failureCause
Forced landingEmergency descent/landing
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterTaxi
Terrain condition - rough/unevenFactor
Unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - encounteredPilot in commandCause
Landing gear,nose gear - collapsedFactor

Analysis

The airplane sustained substantial damage when the nose gear collapsed while taxiing after a forced landing was performed. The pilot stated that '... he had taken off from private runway at a neighbor's house near [his] home. [The pilot] said while flying he experienced mechanical problems related to the throttle, which caused him to land in the field. [The pilot] said he landed without incident but while taxing the front wheel collapsed in the rough terrain.' The pilot's written statement stated, 'I ... was trying to taxi on 36 - 18 on a private grass strip. I was working on trying to get the engine to clear up, by applying full power, with full flaps to put a load on the motor. half way down the runway I pull back on the throttle to turn around, and the throttle breaks. I panic I crow hop 50 feet. I turn off engine land across the road and taxi ahead and hit a farmers plowed pharo, resulting in breaking the nose wheel off.' Witnesses observed the airplane take off and descent into a nursery.

Factual narrative

On December 25, 1999, at 1600 eastern standard time, a Cessna 210, N7493E, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when the nose gear collapsed while taxiing after a forced landing was performed to a field near South Lyon, Michigan. The personal flight was operated under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual Meteorological Conditions prevailed during the flight. The pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated from a private airstrip near South Lyon, Michigan at time unknown.

The pilot's written statement, dated March 15, 2000, stated, "I ... was trying to taxi on 36 - 18 on a private grass strip. I was working on trying to get the engine to clear up, by applying full power, with full flaps to put a load on the motor. half way down the runway I pull back on the throttle to turn around, and the throttle breaks. I panic I crow hop 50 feet. I turn off engine land across the road and taxi ahead and hit a farmers plowed pharo, resulting in breaking the nose wheel off."

On December 25, 1999, the pilot stated to the investigating police officer that "... he had taken off from private runway at a neighbor's house near [his] home. [The pilot] said while flying he experienced mechanical problems related to the throttle, which caused him to land in the field. [The pilot] said he landed without incident but while taxing the front wheel collapsed in the rough terrain. [The pilot] stated he was the only occupant and that he was not injured."

The Livingston County 911 service recorded a caller that lived adjacent to the airstrip who witnessed the airplane restart its engine while taxing, take off from that airstrip, gain altitude, emit smoke and fly over pine trees. Another recorded caller reported that the airplane had taken off from the airstrip and that it went down in a nursery.

Aircraft

Registration
N7493E
Reported as
Cessna 210
Category
Airplane
Serial number
57193
Engine
Continental O-320, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Gary E. Valentine
Registered owner
Berle Valentine
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
NONE · South Lyon, MI

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
48
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Unknown, Unknown
Seat
Left
Flight hours
1,700 total · 20 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
220° at 18 knots, gusting 27
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
25 °F, dew point 10 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
ARB, 20 nm away