Cessna 210 Safety Record

The pilot's failure to establish a climb during a night go-around. Factors were the lack of visual cues available to the pilot and the dark night illumination.

The pilot's failure to maintain proper VFR altitude over mountainous terrain obscured by clouds, and his intentional descent into instrument meteorological weather conditions.

failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient altitude and/or clearance from terrain, while on a cross-country flight at night. Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, the prevailing low ceilings, and mountainous/hilly terrain.

improper installation of an electrical component, during an alteration of the aircraft electrical system; and subsequent electrical insulation failure, which resulted in electrical shorting, arcing, and an electrical fire. Factors relating to the accident were: inadequate maintenance record keeping (by not filing FAA Form 337), smoke in the cabin, and the resultant restriction of the pilot's vision, which impeded his ability to control the airplane as it neared the ground.

failure of the pilot to follow procedures/directives by flying in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) without proper training/certification; and his failure (or inability) to follow proper IFR procedures and maintain proper altitude during an instrument approach, which resulted in a collision with obstacles (trees) and the ground. Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, instrument weather conditions, and pilot impairment from use of a medication that is not approved by the FAA for use while operating an aircraft.

the pilot's loss of aircraft control as a result of spatial disorientation. Factors were: the pilot's lack of experience in instrument and night flight conditions, inadequate transition/upgrade training, and the dark night light condition.

improper planning/decision by the pilot, his resultant VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and his failure to maintain altitude and clearance from mountainous terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: the adverse weather conditions, and mountainous terrain.

THE PILOT'S DISREGARD OF THE WEATHER FORECAST AND FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER (INSTRUMENT FLIGHT CONDITIONS), RESULTING IN AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WHILE MANEUVERING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT FLYING IN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT CONDITIONS.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE AND PROPER CLIMB DURING THE MISSED APPROACH. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, FOG, AND CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO PILOT FATIGUE.

the pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and loss of control of the aircraft. Contributing factors were the low ceilings and clouds.

the pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft's flight path while maneuvering after takeoff in an area of no ground reference lights. Factors in the accident were the pilot's lack of instrument flight experience and the dark nighttime lighting conditions.

COLLISION WITH TERRAIN WHEN THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY FLEW INTO FOG WHILE CONDUCTING A VISUAL APPROACH. FACTORS WERE: INACCURATE WEATHER EVALUATION BY THE PILOT AND LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA.

THE PILOT'S ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF IN FOGGY CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE INITIAL CLIMBOUT, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND IMPACT WITH TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE THE PREVAILING FOG AND THE NIGHT LIGHTING CONDITIONS.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IFR OPERATION AND DESCENT BELOW THE ILS GLIDESLOPE AND DECISION HEIGHT, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES. THE WEATHER CONDITION AND LACK OF A RECENT WEATHER BRIEFING WERE RELATED FACTORS.

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE WEATHER EVALUATION AND POOR INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION. THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT DUE TO THE USE OF DRUGS WAS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.

THE PILOT CONTINUING FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS WERE: THUNDERSTORM, UPDRAFTS AND THE PILOT'S DISREGARD OF THE WEATHER BRIEFING.