Cessna 210M N9162M

Summary

On 3 June 1997 at about 20:58 local time, a Cessna 210M registered N9162M was involved in an accident near Elliston, Virginia, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 June 1997 at 20:58

Classification

Accident

Location

Elliston, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Roanoke Regional/Woodrum (ROA)

Coordinates

37.2095, -80.2294

Aircraft

Cessna 210M

Registration

N9162M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Roanoke → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC97FA103

3 people died.

failure of the PIC to maintain control of the airplane, due to spatial disorientation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot/owner filed an instrument flight plan, listed himself as the pilot-in-command (PIC), and departed on an instrument proficiency flight with two passengers, who were both certified flight instructors (CFIs). The airplane was vectored for an LDA Runway 6 Approach in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and all radio communications were normal. The airplane was observed on radar turning away from the final approach course. No further communications were received from the airplane, and it descended below radar coverage. A witness on the ground observed the airplane exit and reenter the clouds, then heard a reduction in engine power. The airplane descended from the base of the clouds, in a nose down vertical descent, with the wings intact. Engine noise was heard to increase, followed by a 'swoosh' and bang. The 70-year old PIC had neither scheduled the flight with the employer of the CFIs nor was he listed on the their schedule. The 22-year old CFI rated passenger (seated in the front) had been a full-time college student until the previous month. His total flight experience was 340 hours, of which, 24 hours were as a CFI; and he had no experience in the make and model of airplane or with the PIC.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.