- Date
- January 18, 1996, 07:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Las Vegas, NM
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N761KKCessna T210M
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 3, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960118000719A
- Case key
- 19745
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
failure of the throttle cable. A factor relating to the accident was: the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
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 pilot reported that he reduced the throttle to begin final descent for an IFR approach to the airport. When he pulled back the throttle, 'the throttle control came all the way back with the manifold pressure dropping to zero with the engine idling. Attempts to push the throttle back in to restore power were unsuccessful.' As the aircraft exited the clouds, the pilot 'noted that there were no roads' in the vicinity and the terrain appeared to be 'rough.' Therefore, he decided to make a gear up landing. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the throttle cable had a big 'loop' and moving the throttle from the cockpit had no effect at the fuel control.
Factual narrative
On January 18, 1996, at 0730 mountain standard time, a Cessna T210M, N761KK, registered to and operated as a cargo flight by South Aero Inc., under Title 14 CFR Part 135, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Las Vegas, New Mexico. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an IFR flight was filed. The flight originated from Albuquerque, New Mexico, at 0655.
The pilot reported that he had reduced the throttle to begin final descent for an IFR approach to the Las Vegas Municipal Airport, Las Vegas, New Mexico. When he pulled back the throttle, "the throttle control came all the way back with the manifold pressure dropping to zero with the engine idling." Attempts to "push the throttle back in to restore power were unsuccessful." As the aircraft exited the clouds, he "noted that there were no roads" in the vicinity and the terrain appeared to be "rough." Therefore, he decided to make a gear up landing. During the landing to rough terrain the airplane came rest 150 feet from the point of touch down.
An examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed the throttle cable had a big "loop" and moving the throttle from the cockpit had no effect at the fuel control. The engine firewall was damaged, the fuselage and tail were buckled, and the left elevator sustained damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N761KK
- Reported as
- Cessna T210M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21062315
- Airframe hours
- 10,615
- Engine
- Continental TS1O-520-R, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- South Aero
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · January 17, 1996 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- ABQ · Albuquerque, NM
- Destination
- LVS
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 42
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,025 total · 525 in this make and model · 1,875 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 75 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 10 °F, dew point 1 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.