# NTSB LAX93LA252: Cessna 210L, N29133, Douglas, AZ, June 13, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 13, 1993, 13:35 local (20:35 UTC) - Place: Douglas, AZ - Coordinates: 31.540695, -109.459281 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.5407&lon=-109.4593&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 26, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28405 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX93LA252 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28405/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX93LA252 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S PREMATURE RETRACTION OF THE LANDING GEAR AND FLAPS AT A CRITICAL TIME IN THE TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN AN ADEQUATE CLIMB AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH CONDITION. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITION. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor) - raising of flaps - premature, pilot in command (cause) - airspeed - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - stall/mush - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency) - descent - not corrected, pilot in command ## Analysis THE PILOT WAS DEPARTING ON THE FIRST LEG OF A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS COMPUTED TO BE ABOUT 7700 FEET. THE PILOT SAID THE WIND WAS SIX TO EIGHT KNOTS DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT: 'I COMMENCED THE INITIAL TAKE OFF ROLL AND THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE AT ABOUT 80 KNOTS. POWER INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. AS I RAN OUT OF RUNWAY, I RETRACTED THE WHEELS AND SLOWLY REDUCED THE FLAP SETTING FROM TEN DEGREES TO ZERO DEGREES. I SENSED A FORCED LANDING SITUATION IMPENDING AS THE AIRPLANE STABILIZED AT ABOUT 85 MPH WITH FULL THROTTLE GIVING ONLY PARTIAL POWER.' WITNESSES STATED THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL THROUGHOUT THE BRIEF FLIGHT AND THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO BE ON THE VERGE OF A STALL/MUSH CONDITION. A POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AND THE ENGINE SYSTEMS FAILED TO FIND ANY DISCREPANCIES. ## Factual narrative On June 13, 1993, at 1335 hours Mountain standard time, a Cessna 210L, N29133, collided with terrain while maneuvering to return to the airport after departure. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the corporate executive flight and no flight plan was filed for the first leg. The airplane received substantial damage. The commercial pilot was not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the mishap for a 24 mile flight to Bisbee Municipal Airport to pick up a passenger, then on to Blythe, California. The pilot stated that: "At approximatly 150 to 200 feet AGL, after a straight out climb, shortly after the wheels and flaps retracted, the engine power deteriorated steadily and uniformly through the airborne time." The pilot stated that he turned towards a selected forced landing area from over the city of Agua Prieta (Mexico) and landed "wheels up" without any personal injuries on the relatively flat, scrubby, desert area he had targetted within the airport boundaries on the USA side of the international border. The pilot had stated that his gross weight at takeoff was about 2997 pounds, with a maximum allowable gross weight of 3800 pounds. He had computed the density altitude to be about 6,500 feet based on a temperature of 100 degrees fahrenheit. The pilot did not state where he had obtained the temperature. The pilot said he performed a complete runup and pre-takeoff checks, with all indications normal, prior to departing on runway 21. At the time of departure the pilot observed the wind as "straight down the runway about 6 to 8 knots." The pilot further reported: "I commenced the initial take off roll and the aircraft became airborne at about 80 knots. Power indications were normal. As I ran out of runway, I retracted the wheels and slowly reduced the flap setting from ten degrees to zero degrees." An instructor pilot witness stated that the density altitude was about 7350 feet MSL, and the winds were light and variable. The witness stated that he watched the airplane from takeoff to landing. He stated that the airplane used most of the runway and after takeoff "appeared to be behind the power curve." He said the engine power sounded normal at all times. An FAA inspector from the Scottsdale Flight standards District Office responded to the accident site. According to his witness interviews, the engine sounded as though it was developing high "normal sounding" engine power. A post crash examination of the airplane by FAA airworthiness inspectors revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure in the aircraft or engine. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N29133](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N29133-2003-05-28), registration cancelled 2003-05-28, S/N 21059812, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 210L - Registry model: [Cessna 210L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-210l) (registry code 2073448) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 21059812 - Airframe hours: 1098 - Engines: Continental IO-520-L 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Executive/Corporate, Part 91 - Registered owner: Dairy Queen Of Southern Ariz. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 14, 1993, 18 hours before - Destination: PO4, BISBEE, AZ - Airport: DGL, Douglas Municipal, runway 21, 5,400 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 68; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 11,600 total, 500 in this make and model, 10,800 as pilot in command, 335 in the last 90 days, 28 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 6 knots - Visibility: 50 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 100 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: DUG, 24 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 19930613020849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930613020849A), Jun 13, 1993: Cessna 210L, Douglas, AL, Substantial damage. Used all of runway on takeoff. Liftoff appeared behind power curve,unable climb. Landed gear up. Temperature 100 deg 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.