Cessna 210L N1713X

Summary

On 9 January 2002 at about 18:10 local time, a Cessna 210L registered N1713X was involved in an accident near Great Falls, Montana, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 January 2002 at 18:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Great Falls, Montana, United States

Coordinates

47.2899, -111.3408

Aircraft

Cessna 210L

Registration

N1713X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Great Falls → Cheyenne

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA02LA025

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's intentional continuation of a visual flight rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and his failure to maintain clearance from the terrain. Factors include low ceilings, snow, mountainous/hilly terrain, and trees.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While attempting to fly through an area of mountainous/hilly terrain, the pilot encountered lowering ceilings and snow, and as he continued, got off of his planned course. Although he was initially able to remain below the clouds, he eventually entered an area where his attempts to maintain clearance from the terrain resulted in the aircraft entering the bottom portion of the cloud layer. Because he was having difficulty keeping visual contact with the terrain, he initiated a course-reversal turn. During the turn, the aircraft clipped a tree top, and then impacted a number of other trees. Prior to his departure, the pilot received two weather briefings. The briefing he received earlier in the day indicated his planned route would be VFR at the time of his departure. The briefing he received about 90 minutes prior to departure indicated that the route would be mostly VFR, but that there was an update that showed areas of possible mountain obscuration.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.