# NTSB ERA25LA067: Cessna P210, N6444W, Ball Ground, GA, November 7, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: November 7, 2024, 12:53 local (17:53 UTC)
- Place: Ball Ground, GA
- Coordinates: 34.310842, -84.42362
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.3108&lon=-84.4236&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 199389
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA067
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199389/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199389
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA067

## Probable cause

The pilot and the flight instructor’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during a simulated loss of engine power during takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion, and collision with a taxiway sign.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna P210N, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2073454), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna P210N, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2073454), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna P210N, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=2073454), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Takeoff: Simulated/training event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/600); cases with it: [Cessna P210N, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/600/sequence.md?model=2073454), [All aircraft, 173 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/600/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Cessna P210N, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2073454), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna P210N, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2073454), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna P210N, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2073454), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna P210N, 31 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2073454), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Cessna P210N, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2073454), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)

## Analysis

While practicing emergency procedures on a recurrent instructional flight, the pilot receiving instruction and the flight instructor completed several takeoffs and circuits around the airport traffic pattern where the pilot demonstrated various emergency procedures. During a subsequent takeoff, the flight instructor simulated a loss of engine power at an altitude of about 50 feet above the ground. As the airplane began to slow, the pilot receiving instruction pulled back on the control yoke to flare. Around this time, the flight instructor attempted to take control of the airplane after stating, “I have the aircraft,” and then tried to decrease the airplane’s pitch attitude, but the pilot receiving instruction was still trying to pull back on the controls, which ultimately resulted in hard landing and subsequent bounce. After the airplane bounced back into the air, the pilot receiving instruction added partial power to ease the second bounce while the flight instructor assumed the control of the airplane and added full power. The airplane then departed the right side of the runway while the flight instructor attempted to avoid an aerodynamic stall. The airplane touched down in the grass on the right side of the runway and bounced again while still at full power, striking a taxiway sign, and resulting in substantial damage to the right side of the empennage, the bottom of the right horizontal stabilizer, and separating the nose wheel from the nose landing gear. The airplane remained in ground effect at low speed while both the flight instructor and the pilot provided control inputs. The pilot then reassumed control of the airplane and maneuvered the airplane back onto the runway where it came to rest. The pilot and the flight instructor both reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6444W](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6444W), registered now, S/N P210-00781, built 1982 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA P210 (N)
- Registry model: [Cessna P210N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-p210n) (registry code 2073454) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: P210-00781
- Year built: 1982
- Airframe hours: 6711
- Engines: Continental Motors IO-550-P5B 310 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, November 14, 2023, 164 hours before
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: CNI, Cherokee County Rgnl, runway 05/23, 5,003 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Data recorder

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 64; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 13, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 2,733 total, 192.7 in this make and model, 2,654.8 as pilot in command, 23.9 in the last 90 days, 13.6 in the last 30 days, 3.4 in the last 24 hours
- Flight instructor; age 47; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 25, 2024; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 5,894 total, 621 in this make and model, 3,885 as pilot in command, 105 in the last 90 days, 60 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 2,300 ft overcast
- Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observed at: CNI
- METAR: KCNI 071735Z AUTO 14007KT 100V170 10SM OVC023 24/18 A3018 RMK AO2 T02380183

## 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 20241107021409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241107021409A), Nov 7, 2024: Cessna P210N, Canton, GA, Substantial damage. The pilot stated that he and the instructor started ground roll for take-off on rw 05 and when a few feet in the air, the instructor pulled the throttle back…

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 13, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199389. 6.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 - pilot (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18203161&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N6444W_NTSB_6120_1_Form%201_%20Pilot%20Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 - flight instructor (item 2, PDF, 10 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18228433&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N6444W_P210N%20Form%206120%20CFI_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Investigation photographs (item 3, PDF, 5 pages, 967 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18171843&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=investigation%20photographs-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview with pilot and pilot's statement (item 4, PDF, 15 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18227779&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FINAL%20Record%20of%20Convo%20w%20Michael%20T%20Howard%2012%205%202024%20v02_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Flight instructor statement (item 5, PDF, 4 pages, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18204740&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=P210_N6444W_P210%20Training%20incident_Redacted-Rel.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.

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