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NTSB Report

July 12, 1990 · Cessna T210N · N5393A

Pinon, AZ

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 12, 1990
Injury Outcomes
3 injuries (3 fatalities)
Location
Pinon, AZ
Aircraft
Cessna T210N
Tail Number
N5393A
Operator
Sky Cab
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX90FA252

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.

NTSB 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.

Full Narrative

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.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time09:00 MST
Nearest AirportPINON (0nm N)
Runway1
Runway Length3200 ft
Runway Width40 ft
Flight Plan FiledCvfr
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna T210N
Tail NumberN5393A
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorSky Cab
Operating RulePart 135
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · TSIO-520-R(1) · Reciprocating · 310
Seats6

People & Injuries

Injury Summary3 injuries (3 fatalities)
Fatal3
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total3
Crew 1Age 39 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind225° @ 3 kt
Visibility25 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourceWIT

Appendix: Source Data