# NTSB ERA13CA338: Cessna 210M, N450EM, Shirley, NY, July 28, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 28, 2013, 11:45 local (15:45 UTC) - Place: Shirley, NY - Coordinates: 40.821945, -72.866943 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8219&lon=-72.8669&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 13, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - NTSB case key (mKey): 87597 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA13CA338 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/87597/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87597 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13CA338 ## Probable cause The pilot's loss of control during an aborted takeoff as a result of his failure to properly configure the elevator trim prior to flight. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: pitch control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 210M, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md?model=2073450), [All aircraft, 526 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md) - [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 210M, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=2073450), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md) - [Flight control system: elevator control system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022730): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Related operating info (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 210M, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022730/cases.md?model=2073450), [All aircraft, 74 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022730/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 210M, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2073450), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Cessna 210M, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2073450), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector that, after completing a preflight inspection of the airplane and an engine run up, he taxied the airplane for departure. As the airplane rotated off the runway, the pilot noted that the control yoke felt "heavy." Approximately 25 feet above the ground, the pilot elected to abort the takeoff, and pitched the airplane's nose down. The airplane contacted the runway, bounced, and became airborne again. As the airplane touched down a second time in a nose-down attitude, the propeller struck the runway and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane skidded off the right side of the runway and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, right wing, and engine firewall. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the elevator trim wheel was set to the nose-down position, which accounted for the "heavy" feeling of the flight controls the pilot experienced during the takeoff. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector that, after completing a preflight inspection of the airplane and an engine run up, he taxied the airplane for departure. As the airplane rotated off the runway, the pilot noted that the control yoke felt "heavy." Approximately 25 feet above the ground, the pilot elected to abort the takeoff, and pitched the airplane's nose down. The airplane contacted the runway, bounced, and became airborne again. As the airplane touched down a second time in a nose-down attitude, the propeller struck the runway and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane skidded off the right side of the runway and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, right wing, and engine firewall. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the elevator trim wheel was set approximately halfway between the neutral trim and full nose-down trim positions. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N450EM](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N450EM-2018-03-14), registration cancelled 2018-03-14, S/N 61799, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 210M - Registry model: [Cessna 210M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-210m) (registry code 2073450) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 61799 - Year built: 1977 - Engines: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: HWV, Shirley, NY - Airport: HWV, Brookhaven Airport, runway 24, 4,200 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 68; injuries: none; commercial, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; flight hours: 1,864 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: HWV ## 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 20130728026069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130728026069A), Jul 28, 2013: Cessna 210M, Shirley, NY, Substantial damage. Pilot failed to use appropriate checklist prior to takeoff. Leaving elevator trim incorrectly set nose down. Pilot unaware of trim setting feels heavy control… ## Other investigations on N450EM (1) 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. - [NTSB BFO96LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO96LA033), Dec 28, 1995: Cessna 210 (N450EM), Baltimore, MD, substantial damage. Probable cause: failure of the pilot to ensure that the landing gear was fully down and locked before landing. ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 4, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87597. 6.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 124 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40408696&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record - FAA Inspector Statement (item 2, .PDF, 138 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40408697&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Master.PDF - Photo 1 - Airplane as it came to rest (Courtesy of FAA) (item 3, .PDF, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40408698&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Airplane%20as%20it%20came%20to%20rest%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 2 - Cockpit photo noting elevator trim wheel (Courtesy of FAA) (item 4, .PDF, 2.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40408699&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Cockpit%20photo%20noting%20elevator%20trim%20wheel%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF 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.