Cessna P210N N4817K

Summary

On 8 January 2014 at about 21:30 local time, a Cessna P210N registered N4817K, operated by Performance Associates Inc, was involved in an accident near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 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

8 January 2014 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Pagosa Springs, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Pagosa Springs (PSO)

Coordinates

37.2395, -107.0291

Aircraft

Cessna P210N

Registration

N4817K

Category

Airplane

Year built

1979

Engines

1

Operator

Performance Associates Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pagosa Springs → Pagosa Springs

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14CA106

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection which led to a loss of oil pressure and partial loss of engine power on takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to check the security of the oil filler cap prior to the flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot and his two passengers departed on a local pleasure flight. Right after takeoff, engine oil covered the windscreen and the engine began to lose power. According to a video of the accident, the pilot made a tear-drop turn in an attempt to land on the opposite runway. The airplane lost altitude during the turn and the pilot overshot the runway. The pilot said that as he crossed over the runway, he reduced power to idle. As the pilot attempted to turn back toward the runway, he turned off the master switch. The airplane descended quickly and landed adjacent to the runway in packed snow. The airplane landed hard on the main landing gear and with the right wing low before it slid for about 300 feet resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. The landing gear, right flap, left wing tip, and all three propeller blades were also damaged. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed the oil filler cap was not secured to the oil filler neck. The pilot said this was the first flight after the oil had been changed by a maintenance facility. He did not check the oil filler cap before the flight because it was not required per the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved preflight inspection checklist.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.