# NTSB DEN05CA116: Cessna 210E, N2361F, Saratoga, WY, July 29, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 29, 2005, 17:45 local (23:45 UTC) - Place: Saratoga, WY - Coordinates: 41.444999, -106.823333 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.4450&lon=-106.8233&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 27, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Casper FAA Flight Standards Field Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 62088 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN05CA116 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62088/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05CA116 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control and the pilot's improper preflight planning/preparation. Contributing factors include the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed resulting in an inadvertent stall/mush, the pilot's failure to calculate a weight and balance, and the high density altitude. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, takeoff - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - aircraft weight and balance - not calculated, pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor) - preflight planning/preparation - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, descent - uncontrolled - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (contributing factor) - stall/mush - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis During the takeoff roll, the airplane experienced difficulty in rotating. Eventually, the airplane did lift off and the pilot stated he raised the landing gear. The airplane encountered a crosswind during the departure climb, "stalled and dropped quickly to the ground." The airplane impacted the ground and slid for approximately 100 feet, causing substantial damage. An examination of the airplane's systems, conducted by the FAA, revealed no anomalies. The take off weight of the airplane was calculated to be 3,260 pounds. According to the Cessna Pilot Operating Handbook, the maximum gross weight of the airplane is 3,100 pounds. Density altitude was calculated to be approximately 10,150 feet. ## Factual narrative On July 29, 2005, approximately 1745 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 210E, N2361F, operated by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain while departing from Shively Field (SAA), Saratoga, Wyoming. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The cross-country flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and his two passengers reported no injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident and was en route to Elko, Nevada. According to a telephone conversation with the pilot, he had stopped in Saratoga to refuel his airplane and suspected he overfilled the fuel tanks. The pilot stated that the airplane may have been overweight. In the subsequent accident report submitted by the pilot, he stated that he had attempted to depart runway 23 and aborted the takeoff when the airplane did not rotate. He stated that he taxied back to the end of the runway and set the mixture for "highest power." During the takeoff roll, the airplane experienced difficulty in rotating. Eventually, the airplane did lift off and the pilot stated he raised the landing gear. The airplane encountered a crosswind during the departure climb, "stalled and dropped quickly to the ground." The airplane impacted the ground and slid for approximately 100 feet. The fuselage, aft of the luggage door, was crushed on both sides and the empennage was bent up approximately 5 degrees. The fuselage belly had minor skin damage and both propeller blades were bent. An examination of the airplane's systems, conducted by the FAA, revealed no anomalies. According to the aircraft weight and balance, the empty weight was 2,009 pounds. The pilot stated he had 78 gallons of fuel on board (468 pounds) and no more than 140 pounds of luggage. The take off weight of the airplane was calculated to be 3,260 pounds. According to the Cessna Pilot Operating Handbook, the maximum gross weight of the airplane is 3,100 pounds. According to the Rawlins METAR (routine aviation weather report), located 27 nautical miles to the northwest of Saratoga, the winds were 240 degrees at 14 knots with gusts to 19 knots, and the temperature was 89 degrees Fahrenheit. Density altitude was calculated to be approximately 10,150 feet. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2361F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2361F-2007-03-07), registration cancelled 2007-03-07, S/N 21058561, built 1964 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 210E - Registry model: [Cessna 210E](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-210e) (registry code 2073416) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 21058561 - Airframe hours: 6515 - Engines: Teledyne Continental IO-520 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 1, 2005 - Departed: SAA, SARATOGA, WY - Destination: EKO, ELKO, NV - Airport: SAA, Shively Field, runway 23, 8,800 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 72; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 1, 2005; seat: left; flight hours: 3,100 total, 220 in this make and model, 310 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 14 knots, gusting 19 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 30.23 inHg - Observed at: RWL, 27 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 20050729016519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050729016519A), Jul 29, 2005: Cessna 210E, Saratoga, WY, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot attempted two takeoffs from airport with density altitude of 12000 feet, with aircraft at max gross weight. On second attempt aircraft climbed to… 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.