# NTSB FTW97LA155: Cessna T210N, N4864U, Silver City, NM, April 5, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 5, 1997, 11:45 local (18:45 UTC) - Place: Silver City, NM - Coordinates: 32.77967, -108.260299 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.7797&lon=-108.2603&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 4 minor - Status: Completed, report August 25, 1997 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 20195 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW97LA155 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/20195/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA155 ## Probable cause The high wind and the pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions. Factors were the crosswind and wind gusts. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - weather condition - high wind (cause) - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - other ## Analysis The pilot overflew the airport at midfield, and noticed that the wind sock was fully extended, which verified 'that the winds were over 10-15 MPH.' The pilot extended the flaps to 30 degrees, and during the crosswind landing to runway 35, the aircraft 'touched down just past the numbers.' During the landing roll, a gust of wind pushed the aircraft to the right. In an attempt to keep the aircraft on the runway, the pilot 'overcorrected' causing it to exit the left side of the runway. The aircraft continued parallel to the runway for approximately 600 feet, impacted a mound of dirt, and came to rest inverted. A local law enforcement officer reported that the winds at the accident site were westerly at 25 to 35 MPH, with gusts up to 45 MPH. ## Factual narrative On April 5, 1997, approximately 1145 mountain standard time, a Cessna T210N, N4864U, registered to and operated by Sawyer Aviation as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, was substantially damaged following a loss of directional control during landing roll at the Whiskey Creek Airport near Silver City, New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an IFR flight plan was filed for the cross country flight. The commercial pilot and three passengers sustained minor injuries. The flight originated from Phoenix, Arizona, about 2 hours 15 minutes before the accident. The pilot recalled that "the surface winds were reported to be from the west from 18-20 MPH with gusts to 30 MPH." He flew over mid-field and noticed that the wind sock was fully extended, which verified "that the winds were over 10-15 MPH." He extended the flaps to 30 degrees, and during the crosswind landing to runway 35, the aircraft "touched down just past the numbers." During the landing roll, the aircraft started to veer to the right of the centerline, and he corrected with left rudder. The aircraft then "weather vaned into the wind," and veered off the left side of the runway. He applied right rudder and was paralleling the runway when the aircraft impacted a mound of dirt. A local law enforcement officer who responded to the accident reported the following information. The weather was clear "with 25 to 35 MPH westerly winds and wind gusts up to 45 MPH." The pilot reported that he was completing a crosswind landing when "a gust of wind" pushed the aircraft to the right (east). In an attempt to keep the aircraft on the runway he "overcorrected causing the aircraft to exit the west edge of the runway." Examination of the accident site by the FAA inspector revealed tire marks exiting the left side of the runway about 1,200 feet from the approach end of the runway. The tire marks continued parallel to the runway for approximately 600 feet to a mound of dirt, which was approximately 3-foot in height. The aircraft was found just beyond the dirt mound inverted with the tip of the right wing about 3 feet from the runway. Examination of the aircraft by the FAA inspector revealed that the nose landing gear was separated, the right main landing gear box was damaged, and the left main landing gear was bent. All of the engine mounts were fractured, the vertical stabilizer was crushed, and the right wing was bent between the aileron and flap. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4864U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4864U-1998-08-25), registration cancelled 1998-08-25, S/N 21064826 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna T210N - Registry model: [Cessna T210N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t210n) (registry code 2073456) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 21064826 - Airframe hours: 6734 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520-R7B 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Sawyer Aviation - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 28, 1997 - Departed: PHX, PHOENIX, AZ - Destination: 94E - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: 94E, Whiskey Creek, runway 35, 5,350 × 50 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 22; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 225 total, 8 in this make and model, 140 as pilot in command, 23 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 20 knots, gusting 30 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none ## 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 19970405010229A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970405010229A), Apr 5, 1997: Cessna T210N, Silver City, NM, Substantial damage. Lost directional control landing. Weathervaned into crosswind. Crosswind component exceded. Struck dirt mound. (-23) during a cross wind landing at Whiskey… 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.