- Date
- December 20, 2007, 19:00 local (Dec 21, 2007, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Medford, OK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5957FCessna 210
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report February 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- FAA report
- 20071220829279A
- Case key
- 67288
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 pilot's decision to attempt a night landing without runway lighting. A contributing factor was inoperative runway lights.
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 a night landing on an unlighted runway. Prior to landing, he said he tried to activate the runway lights, but was unable to turn the lights on. The pilot noted that since there was moonlight and he was familiar with the airport; he elected to land without the runway lights. He reported that he thought he could see the runway, and that he was on the runway, until "he felt the nose-wheel sink." The airplane came to rest inverted. An inspection of the runway lighting system revealed that the lights were not functioning properly.
Factual narrative
The 1,196-hour private pilot, who reported having accumulated 22 hours in make and model, attempted a night landing on an unlighted runway. The pilot stated that he left the departure airport a bit later than planned, and therefore his arrival at the accident airport, was about 1900. Prior to landing, the pilot tried to activate the runway lights, but was unable to turn the lights on. The pilot added, that since there was moonlight and he was familiar with the airport; he would attempt a landing before diverting to another airfield. The pilot also reported that he thought he could see the runway, and he was on the runway until, "he felt the nose-wheel sink". The airplane subsequently came to rest in an inverted position, and the pilot and passengers were able to exit the airplane unassisted. An inspection of the runway lighting system revealed that the lights were not functioning properly.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5957F
- Reported as
- Cessna 210
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21058957
- Airframe hours
- 2,650
- Engine
- Continental IO-520, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Don Kirby
- Registered owner
- 3D Well Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 1, 2007
- Departed
- HOB · Hobbs, NM
- Destination
- Medford, OK
- Airport
- OK68 · Medford Muni, runway 17, 3,007 × 60 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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,196 total · 22 in this make and model · 1,196 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.84 inHg
- Observed at
- KWDG, 25 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.
Other investigations on N5957F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.