NYC02FA068

Several witnesses observed the Cessna T210N on initial climb, and then heard a reduction of engine power. Some witnesses thought the nose had pitched up after the power reduction, and prior to the airplane turning left and descending. The airplane banked left, descended, and struck the ground on airport property. A post-crash fire started within seconds after the airplane came to rest and consumed the cabin of the airplane. Examination of the engine revealed that the air filter element was lodged into the turbocharger air intake, and adjacent ducting. The single screen on the air filter was found on the air intake side. Installation instructions specify that with a single screen, the screen should be on the engine side of the air filter element. The air filter element had been changed during an annual inspection, about 2 1/2 months, and 30 hours prior to the accident. The specified change interval for the filter element was 12 months, 200 hours, or when the filter element was 50 % covered by foreign material. The initial emergency procedure for loss of engine power after takeoff was to maintain an airspeed of 85 knots.

History of flight

On March 9, 2002, at 1358 eastern standard time, a Cessna T210N, N2BS, was destroyed when it impacted terrain at Teterboro Airport (TEB), Teterboro, New Jersey. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight destined for Montauk Airport (MTP), Montauk, New York. No flight plan had been filed for the flight that was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to transcripts from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control communications with the pilot:

At 1344:23, the pilot radioed the flight data/clearance delivery controller and advised, "november two bravo sierra, a cessna two ten at millionaire v f r to the northeast with sierra." The flight data/clearance delivery controller instructed the pilot to set his transponder to code 0332, and to contact the local controller when ready to taxi. The pilot acknowledged the transmission.

At 1350:01, the pilot contacted the local controller and advised, "tower, two bravo sierra at millionaire, taxi take off." The local controller instructed the pilot to taxi to runway 6 at intersection GOLF. The pilot responded, "six golf great."

At 1351:48, the pilot advised the local controller that he was ready for departure. The local controller instructed the pilot to hold short of the runway. The pilot acknowledged the transmission.

At 1355:09, the local controller cleared a Grumman Gulfstream IV for takeoff on runway 24.

At 1356:12, the local controller instructed the pilot to "taxi into position and hold" on runway 6 at intersection GOLF. The pilot advised "holding."

At 1357:10, the local controller cleared the pilot for takeoff from runway 6 at intersection GOLF. The pilot advised he was "rolling". No further communications were received from the pilot.

At 1357:40, the local controller cleared N65776, a Cessna 172, for takeoff on runway 6. The pilot acknowledged the instructions.

At 1358:09, a transmission of unknown origin stated, "I got an airplane down here at the end of the runway."

The pilot of the Cessna 172 advised the tower that he was aborting takeoff and stated, "an airplane just went down." Tower personnel immediately notified airport operations.

Several witnesses observed the airplane climbing on departure, and then noticed a reduction in engine noise. Most of the witnesses reported that the airplane turned to the left and descended. However, some witnesses reported the airplane pitched up prior to descending.

A pilot-rated witness reported:

"...I was distracted by the sound of a departing aircraft on runway 6. Looking through my windshield, I saw a single engine Cessna (the sound clearly indicated to me it was a Cessna 210) the aircraft was climbing, and [the] landing gear was retracted. The aircraft had just cleared the runway and had climbed to about 400 feet when the engine appeared to stop. The aircraft pitched up, followed with several steep rolls to the right and left. The aircraft banked to the left and descended nose down, at about 30 feet the aircraft came out of the steep dive and impacted the ground...Smoke was coming from the engine compartment, followed by a small fire [after the airplane came to rest] . After about 10 seconds the fire overwhelmed the aircraft...."

Another witness saw the airplane climbing in a nose high attitude, with the wings level, and it appeared slow. The nose remained up as the airplane initiated an "abrupt" left turn. The wings wobbled in the turn. He said, "I thought the airplane was in a stall. It was turning, but not under control." In the turn, the airplane banked left and descended. When he last saw the airplane, it had completed about 3/4 of its turn from runway heading to its heading at ground impact. He did not see the ground impact. He said the winds were strong, and the flags stood straight out.

A third witness, reported that he saw the airplane climbing, traveling from south to north. It appeared to be climbing normally when it suddenly pitched up about 30 degrees, and the left wing dropped about 70 or 80 degrees. The airplane turned 90 degrees and descended quickly. It hit the ground hard, flat, and slid to a stop. About 50 seconds after the airplane came to a stop, the witness saw flames. The flames were small at first, near the rear of the airplane, but then spread to the rest of the airplane.

The fire was extinguished by the airport emergency personnel.

The accident occurred during the hours of daylight, at 40 degrees, 51 minutes, 35 seconds north latitude, 74 degrees, 03 minutes, and 20 seconds west longitude.

Personnel information

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with airplane single engine land, single engine sea, and instrument airplane ratings. On June 27, 2000, when the pilot last applied for an FAA airman medical certificate, he reported that his total flight experience was 3,885 hours. The pilot's logbook was recovered; however, the bottom of the pages, which contained total hours, was burned. In addition, the logbook had been exposed to water, and the column with dates was faded and not readable. Based upon airplane logbook records, and incomplete pilot logbook records, the pilot was estimated to have a total flight experience of about 4,065 hours, about 3,950 hours as pilot-in-command, about 500 hours in make and model, and about 30 hours in the preceding 90 days. The date of the pilot's last flight review was not determined.

Aircraft information

The airplane was a 1979 Cessna T210N. The last inspection and maintenance listed in the airplane logbook was an annual inspection, which was completed on December 21, 2001. The airplane was estimated to have been flown about 30 hours since the annual inspection.

According to records from the FAA, the airplane had received several modifications which included, but were not limited to: a Brackett air filter; an auxiliary fuel tank in the aft fuselage; extended wing tips which held fuel, the installation of upper wing surface speed brakes, stall fences on the top side of the wings, and leading edge wing cuffs.

Airport information

Teterboro airport had two runways: 6/24, and 1/19. The runways crossed near the north end of the airport. Runway 6 was 6,013 feet long and 150 feet wide. From the intersection of taxiway GOLF, on runway 6, there was about 4,500 feet of runway remaining.

Meteorological information

Information SIERRA reported winds from 150 degrees at 7 knots. However, at 1351, the winds were recorded as being from 170 degrees at 16 knots with gusts to 20 knots. A witness who was watching airplanes at the airport reported that the winds started to increase about 10 minutes prior to the accident.

Radar data

Radar data was received from the New York TRACON (Newark Antenna), and reviewed. No targets were found that matched the pilot's assigned beacon code of 0332.

Wreckage and impact information

The wreckage was located in a grassy area on airport property, adjacent to the north airport boundary fence. A debris trail progressed along a magnetic heading of 340 degrees, and extended 245 feet from the first observed ground contact, to the cockpit of the airplane. The airplane came to rest on a heading of 260 degrees magnetic. Items associated with inside the cabin and engine compartment were found along the debris trail. No burn area was visible along the debris trail leading to the airplane.

Fire damage was observed on the right wing, and fuselage cabin. The fire extended forward to the aft portion of the engine compartment, and aft beyond the aft baggage compartment. The right wing was destroyed by fire. The right wing tip, which was found along the debris trail, had no fire damage.

Flight control continuity was verified to the ailerons, elevators, and rudder. The wing flap jackscrew was extended 3.5 inches, which