Cessna P210N N5384W

Summary

On 10 January 1994 at about 15:30 local time, a Cessna P210N registered N5384W, operated by Robert J. Kushner, was involved in an accident near San Martin, California, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 January 1994 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

San Martin, California, United States

Nearest airport

South County Airport (Q99)

Coordinates

37.1002, -121.5998

Aircraft

Cessna P210N

Registration

N5384W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Robert J. Kushner

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Mammoth Lakes

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX94LA091

2 people were seriously injured.

the pilot's improper aircraft preflight inspection, and his failure to use pitot heat during the takeoff in icing conditions, which led to a blocked pitot tube. The blockage resulted in erroneous airspeed indications during the initial climb, which induced the pilot to reduce the aircraft pitch attitude to a point where the aircraft entered an uncorrected descent to ground impact.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot said that as the aircraft entered the initial climb after rotation, the airspeed began decreasing. He lowered the nose slightly to counter the decreasing airspeed and the aircraft hit the ground shortly thereafter. FBO personnel at the airport said the pilot attempted to takeoff with ground visibility of 150 feet in heavy fog. The FBO line person who fueled the aircraft just prior to departure stated that he had to 'scrape ice away from the fuel filler ports on the wings in order to open the fuel caps.' The line person said the ice was like frozen dew and very rough in character. An FAA inspector stated that he found a series of propeller slashes in the ground just beyond the end of the runway. A path of ground scars led through a damaged fence and terminated at the aircraft wreckage about one eighth of a mile from the runway end. No discrepancies were noted in the examination of the aircraft or engine.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.