Cessna T210 Safety Record

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FOLLOW THE AIRPLANE CHECKLIST AND PROPERLY CONFIGURE THE AIRPLANE FOR TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S POOR PREFLIGHT PREPARATION AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO COMPUTE THE AIRCRAFT WEIGHT BEFORE TAKEOFF.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER IFR PROCEDURE WHICH RESULTED IN DESCENT BELOW THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE. CONTRIBUTINGFACTOR(S) WAS: THE FOG AND LOW CEILING.

AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE DUE TO A MISSING TURBOCHARGER EXHAUST DUCT AND TAILPIPE ASSEMBLY. THE CLAMP USED TO RETAIN THE TAILPIPE ASSEMBLY TO THE TURBOCHARGER WAS ALSO MISSING, CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE SOFT TERRAIN.

THE IMPROPER CALIBRATION OF THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, WHICH RESULTED IN ERRONEOUS FUEL QUANTITY INDICATIONS AND LED TO FUEL STARVATION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED AT THE FORCED-LANDING SITE.

IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN (AND/OR UNDERSTAND) WIND ALOFT INFORMATION, HIS LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE TYPE OF OPERATION (MOUNTAIN FLYING), A DOWNDRAFT, AND THE TERRAIN CONDITIONS.

A FAILURE IN THE HYRDRAULIC POWER UNIT, WHICH PREVENTED OPERATION OF EITHER THE NORMAL OR EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION SYSTEMS. THE RAISED RUNWAY LIP CONTRIBUTED TO AIRCRAFT DAMAGE AND PILOT INJURY.

THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT, HIS INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION, AND HIS SELECTION OF THE TAXIWAY (WRONG RUNWAY) FOR TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE PILOT'S PHYSICAL CONDITION (FATIGUE), HIS SELF INDUCED PRESSURE, THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE UNEVEN TERRAIN.

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO OBTAIN WIND INFORMATION BEFORE LANDING. FACTORS RELATING TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

FUEL STARVATION, AFTER THE PILOT DIVERTED HIS ATTENTION TO AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, AND HIS FAILURE TO REPOSITION THE FUEL SELECTOR SWITCH, EITHER BEFORE THE ENGINE LOST POWER OR DURING EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE TRIPPED ALTERNATOR CIRCUIT BREAKER, AND HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

INADEQUATE IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND, THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT. FACTORS WERE THE PRIVATE PILOT DID NOT SWITCH THE FUEL TANKS AND THE INSTRUCTOR DID NOT CATCH IT.

THE ENGINE FALURE DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASONS AND THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF THE WIND CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN THE ATTEMPT TO GLIDE TO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT ALSO FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING THE GLIDE WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL.

THE PILOT ALLOWED HIMSELF TO BECOME DISTRACTED BY A LANDING GEAR PROBLEM, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION, WHEN HE HAD INSUFFICIENT FUEL TO DELAY HIS LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LANDING GEAR PROBLEM AND TREES IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ACCURATELY DETERMINE FUEL QUANTITY PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FOLLOWED BY HIS FAILURE TO OPERATE THE ENGINE ON THE FULLEST FUEL TANK RESULTING IN A FUEL TANK BEING RUN DRY RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE WHILE ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH AT HIS DESTINATION.

THE FAILURE OF MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO PROPERLY TORQUE THE THRU BOLTS DURING NUMBER 2 CYLINDER INSTALLATION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE TERRAIN FEATURES WHICH LED TO THE COLLAPSE OF THE NOSE GEAR DURING LANDING.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IFR PROCEDURE DURING AN ILS APPROACH IN BELOW MINIMUM CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROCEED TO AN ALTERNATE DESTINATION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.