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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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December 6, 1990 · Cessna 210L · N5280V

New Haven, CT

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
December 6, 1990
Injury Outcomes
3 injuries (3 minor injuries), 1 unknown outcome
Location
New Haven, CT
Aircraft
Cessna 210L
Tail Number
N5280V
Operator
Shoreline Aviation
Injuries
Minor
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
NYC91LA043

DRG FLT, THE PLT NOTED A NEGATIVE READING ON THE AMMETER & CYCLED THE ALTERNATOR SW, BUT TO NO AVAIL. BEFORE LNDG, SHE ACTIVATED THE RWY LGTS & DISCUSSED THE WNDS WITH A DEPG PLT. A COMPLETE ELEC FAILURE OF THE ACFT OCCURRED AS IT WAS ON DOWNWIND TO LND AFTER THE TWR HAD CLOSED. CONSEQUENTLY, ALL EXTERNAL LGTG & COM RADIO IN THE ACFT WERE INOP. A VEHICLE DRIVER WAS MAKING A RQRD INSPN ON RWY 32. THE DRIVER SAID SHE MONITORED THE TWR FREQ USING A HAND HELD RADIO & HEARD A DISCUSION, BUT DIDN'T HEAR EXACTLY WHAT WAS SAID. SHE SAW THE RWY LIGHTS ILLUMINATE, BUT THOUGHT THEY WERE ACTVTD BY THE DEPG ACFT. SHE ANNOUNCED HER FLD PSN & INTENTIONS USING THE GND CTL FREQ. THE PLT LNDD THE ACFT ON RWY 20 & BGN THE ROLLOUT AS THE VEHICLE DRIVER WAS ON RWY 32, CROSSING RWY 20. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT & VEHICLE COLLIDED AT THE RWY INTXN. THE ACFT'S ALTERNATOR & VOLTAGE REGULATOR WERE REMOVED & TESTED, BUT BOTH WERE FND TO BE OPNL. THE OVERVOLTAGE UNIT WAS NOT RECOVERED & THE REASON FOR THE LOSS OF ELEC PWR WAS NOT VERIFIED.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE FAILURE OF THE VEHICLE DRIVER TO ADEQUATELY MONITOR THE RADIO/TRAFFIC PATTERN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, THE AIRCRAFT'S LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER AFTER ACTIVATING THE RUNWAY LIGHTS AND ENTERING THE PATTERN, AND THE LACK OF VISUAL PERCEPTION CONCERNING BOTH THE VEHICLE DRIVER AND THE PILOT.

Full Narrative

DRG FLT, THE PLT NOTED A NEGATIVE READING ON THE AMMETER & CYCLED THE ALTERNATOR SW, BUT TO NO AVAIL. BEFORE LNDG, SHE ACTIVATED THE RWY LGTS & DISCUSSED THE WNDS WITH A DEPG PLT. A COMPLETE ELEC FAILURE OF THE ACFT OCCURRED AS IT WAS ON DOWNWIND TO LND AFTER THE TWR HAD CLOSED. CONSEQUENTLY, ALL EXTERNAL LGTG & COM RADIO IN THE ACFT WERE INOP. A VEHICLE DRIVER WAS MAKING A RQRD INSPN ON RWY 32. THE DRIVER SAID SHE MONITORED THE TWR FREQ USING A HAND HELD RADIO & HEARD A DISCUSION, BUT DIDN'T HEAR EXACTLY WHAT WAS SAID. SHE SAW THE RWY LIGHTS ILLUMINATE, BUT THOUGHT THEY WERE ACTVTD BY THE DEPG ACFT. SHE ANNOUNCED HER FLD PSN & INTENTIONS USING THE GND CTL FREQ. THE PLT LNDD THE ACFT ON RWY 20 & BGN THE ROLLOUT AS THE VEHICLE DRIVER WAS ON RWY 32, CROSSING RWY 20. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT & VEHICLE COLLIDED AT THE RWY INTXN. THE ACFT'S ALTERNATOR & VOLTAGE REGULATOR WERE REMOVED & TESTED, BUT BOTH WERE FND TO BE OPNL. THE OVERVOLTAGE UNIT WAS NOT RECOVERED & THE REASON FOR THE LOSS OF ELEC PWR WAS NOT VERIFIED.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time23:00 EST
Nearest AirportTweed New Haven (0nm N)
Runway20
Runway Length5600 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledVfif
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 210L
Tail NumberN5280V
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorShoreline Aviation
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · IO-520-L · Reciprocating · 300
Seats6

People & Injuries

Injury Summary3 injuries (3 minor injuries), 1 unknown outcome
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor3
Uninjured0
Total4
Crew 1Age 27 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightBright Night
WindCalm
Visibility20 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point25 C / 0 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data