Cessna P210N N7217S

Summary

On 18 October 2009 at about 19:30 local time, a Cessna P210N registered N7217S was involved in an accident near Rifle, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 October 2009 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Rifle, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Garfield County Region Airport (RIL)

Coordinates

39.5261, -107.7269

Aircraft

Cessna P210N

Registration

N7217S

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rifle → Rifle

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN10FA021

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s failure to properly identify the power lever and, instead, manipulating the propeller condition lever.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during the initial climb he retarded the power lever and the engine did not respond and remained at full power. He attempted to cycle the power level and only experienced a change in power output when the control was at the flight idle position and at the full-power position. While preparing to land, the pilot cycled the power between flight idle and full power in an effort to maintain airspeed and attain the proper glide path. During final approach, the pilot attempted to increase power again but the engine did not respond and remained at flight idle. The airplane landed short of the approach end of the runway and came to rest inverted. A postaccident examination of the engine and associated components revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The investigative team and an independent certificated flight instructor duplicated the engine power anomalies described by the pilot by manipulating the propeller condition lever in place of the power lever, which is likely what the pilot did prior to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.