# NTSB CHI90LA047: Cessna 210, N59145, New Phila, OH, December 26, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: December 26, 1989, 17:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place: New Phila, OH
- Coordinates: 40.480728, -81.43946 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4807&lon=-81.4395&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 30, 1991
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 14607
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI90LA047
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/14607/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI90LA047

## Probable cause

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO DRAIN ALL OF THE TRAPPED WATER FROM THE FUEL SYSTEM PRIOR TO FLIGHT.  FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITION AND TREES IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

## Sequence of events

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

- Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - normal
  - fluid,fuel - water (cause)
  - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
- Forced landing, descent - emergency
- In flight collision with object, approach - vfr pattern - final approach
  - weather condition - unfavorable wind (contributing factor)
  - object - tree(s) (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing

## Analysis

THE PLT RPRTD THAT DURING FLT, THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH, THEN LOST POWER. HE ELECTED TO LAND IN A SMALL FIELD SURROUNDED BY TREES. HE SAID THAT DURING THE APCH TO LAND, THE ACFT ENCTRD WINDSHEAR, WHICH INCREASED THE RATE OF DESCENT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT'S WHEELS HIT TREES BEFORE THE PLANE REACHED THE FIELD, THEN IT NOSE DOWN & IMPACTED THE GROUND.  A POST-ACDNT EXAM REVEALED THE GASCOLATOR WAS ABOUT 2/3 FULL OF ICE & WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FLOW DIVIDER. THE PLT SAID THE ACFT HAD BEEN PLACED IN A HEATED HANGAR BEFORE FLT. HE ALSO STATED THAT DURING HIS PREFLT, HE HAD DRAINED THE SUMPS UNTIL HE OBSERVED NO WATER IN THE FUEL.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N59145](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N59145-1991-02-12), registration cancelled 1991-02-12, S/N 21060121 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 210
- Registry model: [Cessna 210L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-210l) (registry code 2073448) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 21060121
- Engines: CONTINENTAL TSIO-520-H 285 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Archibald R. Prutzman
- Departed: AFJ, WASHINGTON, PA
- Destination: JOT, JOLIET, IL
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 52; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; flight hours: 1,400 total, 500 in this make and model, 1,200 as pilot in command, 55 in the last 90 days, 27 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk
- Wind: 280° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 3,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 9 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at: CAK, 20 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 19891226053239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891226053239A), Dec 26, 1989: Cessna 210L, New Philadelphi, OH, Substantial damage. Engine quit. Struck tree and ground on forced landing. Found water and ice in fuel. Had been warmed and drained.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
