# NTSB LAX03LA034: Cessna T210 L, N59132, Williams, AZ, November 20, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 20, 2002, 16:10 local (23:10 UTC) - Place: Williams, AZ - Coordinates: 35.299999, -112.183334 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.3000&lon=-112.1833&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report July 29, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Inspector - NTSB case key (mKey): 56097 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX03LA034 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56097/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03LA034 ## Probable cause An in-flight fire for undetermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Fire, cruise - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, emergency landing - Nose over, emergency landing ## Analysis During the flight, the pilot and passenger smelled smoke. They opened vents and windows in the airplane and the pilot turned off the master switch. The smoke continued to increase. The pilot reduced power and began to descend for an emergency landing. The pilot was unable to extend the landing gear. The pilot executed a gear up emergency landing in a field with near zero visibility. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. After the pilot and passenger exited, the airplane was consumed by fire. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane, but was unable to determine the origin of the fire due to the extensive fire damage. ## Factual narrative On November 20, 2002, about 1610 mountain standard time, a Cessna T210L, N59132, nosed over during a precautionary off airport landing near Williams, Arizona, after experiencing smoke in the cockpit. The airplane was destroyed by impact and fire. Sierra Aviation LLC was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airline transport pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The positioning flight departed Prescott (PRC), Arizona, about 1550, en route to St. George Municipal Airport (SGU), St. George, Utah. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. In a written statement, the pilot stated that the flight departed from PRC for Gowen Field (BOI), Boise, Idaho, with a planned fuel stop at SGU. Approximately 10 minutes after departure, the pilot and his passenger smelled smoke. The pilot opened the vents and turned off the avionics master switch and master switch. The smoke increased. The pilot reduced power and began descended. The passenger crawled to the back seat and pushed the doors open with his feet. The smoke continued to increase. The pilot stated that he used the master switch momentarily to extend the flaps to 20 degrees and to extend the landing gear. The landing gear would not extend. He attempted to emergency extend the gear, but the gear still would not extend. The pilot then told the passenger to stay in the rear seat and to fasten his seatbelt. He turned off all electrical switches and turned into the wind. The pilot made a gear up landing in a clearing with near zero visibility due to smoke. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot and passenger "saw flames" and exited the airplane. The airplane continued to burn for over an hour. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane, but was unable to determine the origin of the fire due to the extensive fire damage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N59132](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N59132-2017-02-16), registration cancelled 2017-02-16, S/N 21060112, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna T210 L - Registry model: [Cessna T210L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t210l) (registry code 2073449) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 21060112 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520 SER 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: Both - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: Chelton Flight Systems - Registered owner: Sierra Aircraft LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: PRC, PRESCOTT, AZ - Destination: SGU, ST GEORGE, UT ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: minor; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review January 18, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 3,000 total, 300 in this make and model, 2,868 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 40° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 21 °F - Altimeter: 30.45 inHg - Observed at: FLG, 27 nm away ## 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 20021120032789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021120032789A), Nov 20, 2002: Cessna T210L, Williams, AZ, Destroyed. (.19) On November 20, 2002, about 1610 mountain standard time, a Cessna T210L, N59132, made a precautionary off airport landing near Williams, Arizona, after… ## Other investigations on N59132 (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 CHI79FEM18](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI79FEM18), Apr 3, 1979: Cessna T210L (N59132), Grand Rapids, MI, substantial damage 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.