Summary
On February 24, 2009, a Cessna T210 (N210NS) was involved in an incident near Twentynine Palms, CA. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusting wind conditions.
The pilot reported that he made a normal approach, and on short final a gust of wind forced the airplane down to the ground. The airplane went into soft sand and nosed over. The pilot's passenger reported that prior to reaching the airport for landing, he felt some light turbulence. As the airplane was nearing touchdown he felt turbulence again, and heard the pilot say 'oh no.' The passenger reported that it felt as if the airplane was pushed straight down and the airplane impacted the ground short of the runway. A ground witness about 1/4 mile north of the runway watched as the airplane came in to land. As the airplane approached the runway he saw the tail move sideways and then straighten out; he thought that the wind must have caught it.
This incident is documented in NTSB report WPR09CA129. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N210NS.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusting wind conditions.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot reported that he made a normal approach, and on short final a gust of wind forced the airplane down to the ground. The airplane went into soft sand and nosed over. The pilot's passenger reported that prior to reaching the airport for landing, he felt some light turbulence. As the airplane was nearing touchdown he felt turbulence again, and heard the pilot say 'oh no.' The passenger reported that it felt as if the airplane was pushed straight down and the airplane impacted the ground short of the runway. A ground witness about 1/4 mile north of the runway watched as the airplane came in to land. As the airplane approached the runway he saw the tail move sideways and then straighten out; he thought that the wind must have caught it. As the airplane continued on the approach, it seemed normal; however, as it got close to the runway, the airplane appeared to drop suddenly as if it was being forced down by a gust of wind.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR09CA129