Cessna T210M N761NE

Summary

On 16 February 1993 at about 02:55 local time, a Cessna T210M registered N761NE, operated by CSY Investments, was involved in an accident near Coalinga, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 February 1993 at 02:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Coalinga, California, United States

Coordinates

36.1901, -120.3896

Aircraft

Cessna T210M

Registration

N761NE

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

CSY Investments

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Santa Ana → Lincoln

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX93FA125

2 people died.

THE PILOTS INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND HIS FAILURE TO SELECT A CRUISE ALTITUDE WHICH WOULD ENSURE ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLEARANCE DURING THE NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE MOUNTAINOUS NATURE OF THE TERRAIN AND THE DARK NIGHT LIGHT CONDITIONS

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER DEPARTED THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA FOR AN EVENING FLIGHT TO THE CENTRAL PART OF THE STATE. HE CONTACTED APPROACH CONTROL FOR ENTRY INTO THE LOS ANGELES TCA AND THROUGH THE VFR CORRIDOR OVER LAX. THE PILOT THEN CLIMBED OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN TO 10500 FEET MSL, AND INTERCEPTED THE V 107 AIRWAY. AFTER PASSING THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN THE PILOT DESCENDED TO 4500 FEET MSL, ON V 107. ACCORDING TO THE JEPPESEN LOW ALTITUDE ENROUTE CHARTS THREE AND FOUR, THE MINIMUM ENROUTE ALTITUDE FOR THAT SEGMENT OF THE AIRWAY IS 7000 FEET MSL. ACCORDING TO THE SAN FRANCISCO SECTIONAL AERONAUTICAL CHART THE MAXIMUM ELEVATION FIGURE (MEF), FOR THE ACCIDENT AREA IS 5600 FEET MSL. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED 4500 FOOT WRIGHT MOUNTAIN ABOUT 80 FEET BELOW A RIDGE LINE IN LEVEL FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE RADAR DATA THE AIRPLANE GROUND SPEED WAS ABOUT 160 KNOTS WHEN RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST ABOUT TWO AND ONE HALF MILES WEST OF V 107. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE VMC, HOWEVER, THE NIGHT WAS DARK. THE PILOT WAS FLYING WITH AN INVALID MEDICAL CERTIFICATE

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.