DFW05CA124

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 210L · Houston, TX · May 15, 2005

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
May 14, 2005, 22:30 local (May 15, 2005, 03:30 UTC)
Place
Houston, TX
Injuries
4 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N1766XCessna 210L
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Dawn
Status
Completed · report September 13, 2005
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20050514007779A
Case key
61508

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing roll. A contributing factor was reported partial loss of brake control.

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.

Airframe/component/system failure/malfunctionLanding - roll
Landing gear,normal brake system - loss,partialFactor
Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - roll
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water collision with objectLanding - flare/touchdown
Object - aircraft parked/standing

Analysis

During the landing roll on a 3,455-foot long and 40-foot wide asphalt runway, the airplane exited the left side of the runway and struck a parked airplane. The 5,000-hour pilot reported that the airplane would veer to the left each time brakes were applied despite multiple attempts. The pilot added that during an earlier flight that day, he noticed that the airplane "pulled slightly to the left as brakes were applied." The wind near the accident site was reported as calm. Examination of the airplane revealed that the braking system was free of anomalies.

Factual narrative

On May 14, 2005, approximately 2230 central daylight time, a Cessna 210L single-engine airplane, N1766X, was substantially damaged when it struck a parked airplane following a loss of directional control during the landing roll at the Weiser Air Park (EYQ), near Houston, Texas. The commercial pilot and three passengers were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual. Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The 291-nautical mile cross-country flight originated from the Lakefront Airport (NEW), near New Orleans, Louisiana, at 2030, and was destined for EYQ.

The 5,000-hour pilot reported in a written statement to the NTSB investigator-in-charge that after a normal approach to runway 27 (3,455-foot long and 40-foot wide asphalt runway) at an airspeed of approximately 90 knots, the airplane landed approximately 500 feet from the approach end of the runway. During the landing roll, the airplane veered to the left every time the pilot applied brakes. The pilot stated that he "let the airplane go left into to the grass in hopes it would slow [the airplane] down." As the airplane crossed a taxiway, the pilot attempted "to lock the brakes," however, the brakes "would not lockup." As the airplane continued turning left, the pilot aligned the airplane parallel to a row of aircraft hangars adjacent to the runway. Subsequently, the outboard tip of the left wing struck the vertical stabilizer of a parked Cessna 182.

The pilot added that during an earlier flight that day, he noticed that the airplane "pulled slightly to the left as brakes were applied."

Examination of the airplane by an Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who responded to the accident site, revealed that the outboard two feet of the left wing was crushed aft and was structurally damaged. Examination of the left and right brake revealed no anomalies.

At 2253, the automated weather observing system at the David Wayne Hooks Airport (DWH), near Spring, Texas, located nine miles north east of the accident site, reported wind calm, visibility 7 statute miles, sky clear, temperature 70 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 66 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 29.94 inches of Mercury.

Aircraft

Registration
N1766X
Reported as
Cessna 210L
Category
Airplane
Serial number
2160787
Engine
Continental IO-550-L, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Gary Ryan
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
NEW · New Oreleans, LA
Destination
Houston, TX
Airport
EYQ · Weiser Air Park, runway 27, 3,455 × 40 ft, asphalt

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
60
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Flight hours
5,000 total · 350 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Dawn
Wind
Calm
Visibility
7 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
70 °F, dew point 66 °F
Altimeter
29.94 inHg
Observed at
DWH, 9 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.