- Date
- September 4, 1990, 20:30 local (Sep 5, 1990, 02:30 UTC)
- Place
- Durango, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5241CCessna T210N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900904038259A
- Case key
- 17987
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 loss of control of the airplane when the pilot encountered turbulence on short final to land.
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.
Analysis
The private pilot attempted to land after receiving a pilot report of calm winds. On short final the plane encountered a microburst that abruptly increased the rate of descent. The pilot attempted to check the high rate of descent to no avail. The plane struck the runway, landed hard, collapsed the landing gear, damaged the wing spars, and came to rest on the left side of the runway. After exiting the wreckage, the pilot said the wind was from 080 degrees at 15, gusting to 20. A witness reported the wind had changed from calm to strong in a few seconds, at the time of the accident. The investigation revealed that lightning and virga had been seen in the area and rain showers began within three minutes of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5241C
- Reported as
- Cessna T210N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21063723
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-R, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Barbara B. Echemann
- Registered owner
- Unknown
- Departed
- SBA · Santa Barbara, CA
- Airport
- DRO · La Plata Co., runway 20, 9,200 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 367 total · 165 in this make and model · 297 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 80° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DRO, 1 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.