# NTSB LAX90FA252: Cessna T210N, N5393A, Pinon, AZ, July 12, 1990 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: July 12, 1990, 09:00 local (16:00 UTC) - Place: Pinon, AZ - Coordinates: 36.199176, -110.230834 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1992&lon=-110.2308&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 3 fatal - Status: Completed, report May 3, 1993 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 26645 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX90FA252 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/26645/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90FA252 ## Probable cause FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT DURING THE LANDING, HER DELAY IN INITIATING A GO-AROUND (ABORTED LANDING), AND HER FAILURE TO REMAIN CLEAR OF POWER LINES ON RISING TERRAIN DURING THE ABORTED LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, RISING TERRAIN AND THE OBSTACLE (POWER LINE) OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN SHORT FIELD OPERATIONS AT HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, AND INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE BY COMPANY/OPERATOR MANAGEMENT. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, landing - aborted - airport facilities,wind direction indicator - unavailable - weather condition - tailwind - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor) - proper touchdown point - not attained, pilot in command (cause) - go-around - delayed, pilot in command (cause) - raising of flaps - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor) - terrain condition - rising (contributing factor) - object - wire,transmission (contributing factor) - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total experience in type operation, pilot in command (contributing factor) - inadequate surveillance of operation, company/operator mgmt (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis THE FLT WAS SCHEDULE TO TAKE PSGRS TO A PVT, UNATTENDED, DIRT STRIP NR A WORK SITE. PERMISSION TO LND AT THE STRIP WAS NOT OBTAINED, THO PRIOR PERMISSION WAS REQD. THE STRIP WAS ROUGH; DRAINAGE AT THE APCH END OF RWY 1 HAD ERODED THE GND, MAKING ITS EFFECTIVE LENGTH ABT 2800 FT. ALSO, THERE WAS NO WINDSOCK AT THE STRIP, ITS ELEV WAS 6315 FT & THE DENSITY ALT WAS ABT 9000 FT. A WITNESS RPRTD THE PLT LNDD ON RWY 1, JUST BYD THE MIDPOINT. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT'S WINGS WERE SEEN TO ROCK BACK & FORTH, THEN THE ACFT BCM AIRBORNE AGAIN. DRG A GO-ARND (ABORTED LNDG), THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING OVR RISING TRRN NORTH OF THE STRIP, WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE (ABT 90 FT ABV THE RWY ELEV) & CRASHED. THE PLT HAD LNDD WITH A SLGT TAILWIND. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FND. THE PLT LACKED EXPERIENCE IN LNDG ON SHORT STRIPS WITH HI DENSITY ALT. THE LNDG GEAR & FLAPS WERE FND IN THE RETRACTED PSN. FLAP SETTING OF 10 TO 20 DEG WAS RCMDD FOR SHORT FLD/ROUGH FLD/SOFT FLD/MIN GND RUN TKOF. TKOF DSTC OF 2200 FT WAS REQD TO CLR 50 FT OBSTACLE. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5393A](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5393A-1991-10-15), registration cancelled 1991-10-15, S/N 21063410 (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: 21063410 - Engines: CONTINENTAL TSIO-520-R(1) 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Sky Cab - Registered owner: Sunwest Executive Charters Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: 4E0, TAYLOR, AZ - Destination: 93V - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: 93V, Pinon, runway 1, 3,200 × 40 ft, dirt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 39; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 2,200 total, 1,860 as pilot in command, 143 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 225° at 3 knots - Visibility: 25 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F ## 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 19900712025379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900712025379A), Jul 12, 1990: Cessna T210N, Pinon, AZ, Destroyed, 3 fatal. Landed and bounced on last third runway. Began go around end of strip,struck wires on rising terrain. ## Other investigations on N5393A (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 DEN83LA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN83LA060), Feb 15, 1983: Cessna T210N (N5393A), Riverton, WY, 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.