Summary
On August 20, 1997, a Cessna P210 (N44C) was involved in an accident near Grayslake, IL. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury. The aircraft was destroyed.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: Excessive airspeed and the pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point during landing. Factors associated with the accident were inadequate aircraft preflight and the ditch.
On August 19, 1997, at 0900 central daylight time (cdt), a Cessna P210, N44C, operated by a commercial pilot collided with a ditch following a loss of directional control while landing at the Campbell Airport, Grayslake, Illinois. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The flight originated from Wheeling, Illinois.
The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to check the airplane's pressurization system which had just been repaired. He reported that he departed with 1 hour of fuel in the main tanks and 45 minutes of fuel in the tip tanks.
This accident is documented in NTSB report CHI97LA265. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N44C.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
excessive airspeed and the pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point during landing. Factors associated with the accident were inadequate aircraft preflight and the ditch.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On August 19, 1997, at 0900 central daylight time (cdt), a Cessna P210, N44C, operated by a commercial pilot collided with a ditch following a loss of directional control while landing at the Campbell Airport, Grayslake, Illinois. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The flight originated from Wheeling, Illinois.
The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to check the airplane's pressurization system which had just been repaired. He reported that he departed with 1 hour of fuel in the main tanks and 45 minutes of fuel in the tip tanks. During the flight he noticed that the fuel level in the main tanks was getting low so he attempted to transfer fuel from the tip tanks into the mains. It was at this time that he discovered the transfer pumps were inoperative. He estimated he approximately 15 minutes of fuel left in the main fuel tanks so he elected to land at the nearest airport.
The pilot reported that he was high on the first landing approach so he performed a go-around. He stated that he was high again on the second approach, but decided to land instead of risk running out of fuel during another go-around. The airplane touched down long and fast. The airplane traveled off the side of the runway where it continued to travel approximately 500 feet through the wet grass prior to contacting a creek bed. The creek contained approximately 3 feet of water at the bottom of a 12 foot ditch.
Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed that the flaps were in the retracted position.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CHI97LA265