SEA06LA100

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna T210L · Battle Ground, WA · May 19, 2006

Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
May 18, 2006, 20:09 local (May 19, 2006, 03:09 UTC)
Place
Battle Ground, WA
Injuries
1 serious, 2 minor
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N131HMCessna T210L
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 31, 2006
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20060518008609A
Case key
63739

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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.

the pilot's excessive airspeed and exceeding the proper touchdown point during landing, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent overrun of the runway. Factors contributing to the accident included the fence, the trees and the pilot's failure to perform an aborted landing.

Analysis

The pilot's first approach to land resulted in a go-around, followed by a second approach, which was high and fast, culminating in a hard landing. After the airplane bounced the pilot applied brakes, but was not able to stop on the grass/turf runway. The airplane subsequently overran the end of the runway before impacting trees and a fence prior to being consumed by fire. There were no precrash anomalies noted with the airplane.

Factual narrative

On May 18, 2006, at 2009 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna T210L single-engine airplane, N131HM, was destroyed while landing at a private airstrip near Battle Ground, Washington. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual. The certificated private pilot received serious injuries, while the two passengers sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight, which was operated in accordance with 14 CFR Part 91, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight departed Boeing Field/King County International Airport, Seattle, Washington, at 1900, with its destination being the Buzzard Flats airstrip, near Battle Ground, Washington.

According to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report (NTSB form 6120.1), the pilot reported that the first approach to Runway 07 (1,730 feet long and 130 feet wide) resulted in a missed approach and go-around. The pilot stated that on his second landing attempt the airplane bounced and he tried applying brakes, but he was unable to stop on the grass turf [runway] before the aircraft impacted a fence and trees. The airplane came to rest in and upright position and was subsequently consumed by fire. The pilot reported no precrash anomalies with the airplane.

A Federal Aviation Safety Inspector, who traveled to the accident site, reported that the right front seat passenger, a certificated commercial pilot, revealed to the inspector that the airplane's approach to the private airstrip was high and fast. The inspector also reported that flight control continuity and a detailed examination of the wreckage was not possible, due to the destructive nature of the accident.

At 1953, the weather reporting at the Pearson Field Airport (VUO), Vancouver, Washington, located 9 nautical miles south of the accident site, reported wind variable at 3 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, sky clear, temperature 26 degree C, dew point 10 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.80 inches of Mercury.

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.

Hard landingLanding - flare/touchdown
Airspeed - excessivePilot in commandCause
Proper touchdown point - not obtainedPilot in commandCause
Aborted landing - not performedPilot in commandFactor
OverrunLanding - roll
Object - fenceFactor
Object - tree(s)Factor

Aircraft

Registration
N131HM
Reported as
Cessna T210L
Category
Airplane
Serial number
21059644
Airframe hours
2,785
Engine
Continental TSIO-520, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Anthony J. Diamond
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · February 1, 2005 · 12 hours before
Departed
BFI · Boeing Field, WA
Destination
Battle Ground, WA
Flight plan
Unknown
Airport
Buzzard Flats, runway 070, 1,730 × 130 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
81
Injuries
Serious
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
February 1, 2005
Seat
Left
Flight hours
1,275 total · 651 in this make and model · 1,082 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
79 °F, dew point 50 °F
Altimeter
29.79 inHg
Observed at
VUO, 9 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.