Cessna P210N N4817K accident, Pagosa Springs, CO, Jan 18, 2001 · NTSB DEN01LA042

Probable cause

failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft after an encounter with adverse weather during landing roll. A factor was ground fog.

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 control - on ground/waterLanding - roll

Flight into adverse weather - inadvertentPilot in commandCause

Weather condition - fogFactor

Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause

On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding - roll

Terrain condition - snow covered

Analysis

During a local night flight practicing touch-and-go landings, the pilot was making his second landing and the aircraft entered ground fog during landing roll. The pilot lost visual reference and the aircraft exited the left side of the runway into approximately 15 inches of snow. Reported weather at the time was clear skies, calm winds, and a temperature dew point spread of 1 degree.

Factual narrative

On January 17, 2001, at 1845 mountain standard time, a Cessna P210N, N4817K, sustained substantial damage when it departed the side of the runway during landing roll at Stevens Field, Pagosa Springs, Colorado. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The flight was a local area flight operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91 and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at 1815. Night visual conditions prevailed.

According to the pilot, he was practicing night landings and on his second touch-and-go landing, the aircraft entered a fog bank during landing roll. The pilot said he lost visual reference and the aircraft departed the left side of the runway into approximately 15 inches of snow 500 to 700 feet from runway 19 threshold.

Weather at the time was clear skies, calm winds, and a temperature dew point spread of 1 degree.

During the excursion from the runway, the left main landing gear collapsed causing damage to the left main landing gear wheel well, and the left horizontal stabilizer was damaged.

Aircraft

Registration: N4817K
Reported as: Cessna P210N
Category: Airplane
Serial number: P210000333
Airframe hours: 5,234
Engine: Continental TSIO-520-P7, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage: Substantial damage
Flight: Personal · Part 91
Operator: Harry P. Artis
Registered owner: Performance Associates
Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
Last inspection: Annual · August 21, 2000 · 57 hours before
Departed: 2V1 · Pagosa Springs, CO
Airport: 2V1 · Stevens Field, runway 19, 6,540 × 75 ft, asphalt

N4817KRegistration cancelled May 12, 2014 · Cessna P210NS/N P21000333 · Built 1979 Airframe modelCessna P210N Engine modelContinental TSIO-520 seriesReciprocating

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 · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role: Pilot
Age: 42
Injuries: None
Certificate: Private
Airplane ratings: Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings: Airplane
Medical: Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review: May 19, 2000
Seat: Left
Flight hours: 2,528 total · 1,922 in this make and model · 2,467 as pilot in command · 38 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Role: Other flight crew
Age: 57
Injuries: None
Certificate: Private
Airplane ratings: Single-engine land
Instrument ratings: Airplane
Medical: Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Last flight review: May 19, 2000
Seat: Right
Flight hours: 1,481 total · 1,026 in this make and model · 1,481 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions: Visual (VMC) · Night
Wind: Calm
Visibility: 10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling: None
Temperature: 19 °F, dew point 18 °F
Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
Observed at: DRO, 38 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.

Accident 20010117002449ACessna P210N · Pagosa Springs, CO(-23) On January 17, 2001, at 1830 mountain standard time, Mr. Harry p. artis was practicing night landings at the Pagosa Springs airport (2V1). On his second touch and go landing he entered a fog bank during landing roll. He lost visual reference and the…Jan 17, 2001 · N4817K · No damage

Other investigations on N4817K · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN14CA106Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportPagosa Springs, COThe pilot's inadequate preflight inspection which led to a loss of oil pressure and partial loss of engine power on takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to check the security of the oil filler cap prior to the flight.Jan 8, 2014 · Substantial damage