- Date
- January 14, 2004, 06:30 local (11:30 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Meade, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N453MCCessna 210L
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20040114011139A
- Case key
- 58619
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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Probable cause
The failure of the pilot to abort the takeoff after encountering fog during the preflight and engine run-up, and also his failure to maintain proper alignment with the runway during the takeoff roll due to a fogged windshield resulting in the collision with a fence.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated that during preflight of the airplane, he noticed fog which became heavier during the engine run-up before takeoff. During the engine run-up, the windshield started fogging up, which usually clears up when full power is applied. He thought about aborting the flight, but elected to takeoff. During the takeoff roll he concentrated on keeping the airplane "straight", but did not detect that the takeoff roll was not parallel to the runway. He observed a fence when the windshield cleared up and applied aft elevator control to clear the fence. The airplane impacted the fence then came to rest upright. He reported there was no mechanical malfunction or failure.
Factual narrative
On January 14, 2004, about 0630 eastern standard time, a Cessna 210L, N453MC, registered to and operated by a private individual, collided with a fence during takeoff from a private airstrip in Fort Meade, Florida. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight to Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport, Miami, Florida. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated that during preflight of the airplane, he noticed fog which became heavier during the engine run-up before takeoff. During the engine run-up, the windshield started fogging up, which usually clears up when full power is applied. He thought about aborting the flight, but elected to takeoff. During the takeoff roll he concentrated on keeping the airplane "straight", but did not detect that the takeoff roll was not parallel to the runway. He observed a fence when the windshield cleared up and applied aft elevator control to clear the fence. The airplane impacted the fence then came to rest upright. He reported there was no mechanical malfunction or failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N453MC
- Reported as
- Cessna 210L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21059844
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-L, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- FL
- Destination
- KTMB · Miami, FL
- Airport
- runway 18, 3,200 × 125 ft, grass/turf
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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 2,245 total · 1,857 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 0.5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- LAL, 19 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.