- Date
- October 6, 2017, 23:55 local (Oct 7, 2017, 03:55 UTC)
- Place
- Waterford, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5ECCessna T210
- Defining event
- Approach-IFR final approach: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report January 11, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20171007024699A
- Case key
- 96164
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 unstabilized approach at night, which resulted in collision with trees.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of the airplane reported that, while on an instrument flight rules approach to land in instrument meteorological conditions at night, he was "a little late descending" on the glideslope. He added that, during the approach, he increased the descent rate and became "a little right of course." He noticed approach lights but became "fixated" on the instruments while attempting to correct for being off course. Subsequently, the airplane struck the tops of trees, and he immediately pulled up. He landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, empennage, and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the accident airport reported, about the time of the accident, that the wind was from 140° at 5 knots, visibility 3/4 statute mile, light rain, and clouds overcast at 200 ft. The pilot landed on runway 9 and flew the RNAV GPS runway 9 approach.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the airplane reported that, while on an instrument flight rules approach to land in instrument meteorological conditions at night, he was "a little late descending" on the glide slope. He added that, during the approach, he increased the descent rate and also became "a little right of course". He noticed approach lights, but became "fixated" on the instruments while attempting to correct for being off course. Subsequently, the airplane struck the tops of trees and he immediately pulled up. He landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, empennage and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the accident airport reported, about the time of the accident, that the wind was from 140° at 5 knots, visibility ¾ statute mile, light rain, clouds overcast at 200 ft. The pilot landed on runway 9, flying the RNAV (GPS) runway 9 approach.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5EC
- Reported as
- Cessna T210 (M)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 62373
- Built
- 1977
- Airframe hours
- 4,386.7
- Engine
- Cont Motor TSIO-520-R11B, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 10, 2016
- Departed
- I22 · Winchester, IN
- Destination
- PTK · Waterford, MI
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- PTK · Oakland County Intl, runway 09R, 6,521 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Auto-pilot
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
- 74
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 28, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 3,611 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 140° at 5 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KPTK
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 4, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.