GROOM, TX, USA
N2599S
Cessna T210L
During a refueling stop at Amarillo, Texas, the instrument rated, private pilot received a weather briefing and filed an IFR flight plan to Guthrie, Oklahoma. During departure, the pilot took off at night in the auto-pilot equipped airplane, and made a climb to 7,000 feet msl. About four minutes after level-off, Albuquerque Center lost radar and radio contact with the airplane. Several witnesses either heard the airplane crash or saw a postimpact fire, but no known witnesses saw the plane before impact. Examination of the crash site revealed the airplane impacted in a steep descent, but the investigation did not find any anomalies with the engine or the airframe. Pathological examination of the pilot did not show any preexisting condition that could have contributed to the accident.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On September 24, 1995, at 1937 central daylight time, a Cessna T210L, N2599S, crashed following a loss of control while in cruise flight near Groom, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight plan was filed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 flight. The airplane was destroyed and the instrument rated private pilot was fatally injured. The flight originated at the Amarillo International Airport, in Amarillo, Texas, about 13 minutes before the accident. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the airplane arrived in Amarillo from Carrizozo, New Mexico, to refuel. While in Amarillo, the pilot received a complete weather briefing and filed an IFR flight plan with a proposed departure time of 1915 for a flight from Amarillo to the Guthrie Municipal Airport in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Air Traffic Control cleared the aircraft direct to Guthrie at an assigned altitude of 5,000 feet, and the airplane departed Amarillo on Runway 04 at 1924. After radar contact was established (transponder code 0744), the pilot requested, and was cleared to climb and maintain 7,000 feet. The pilot reported in level flight to Albuquerque Center at 1934:13. At 1938:20, Albuquerque Center reported that radar contact was lost. Radio contact could not be established after that point. According to recorded radar data, the airplane reached 7,200 feet at 1933:27 and the altitude fluctuated between 7,000 and 7,300 for the next couple of minutes. The last recorded altitude was at 1935:51, when the airplane reported 7,100 feet. No distress calls or anomalies were received or reported. Several persons either heard the impact or witnessed the post-impact fire, but there were no reported eyewitnesses to the accident. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot obtained his private pilot's certificate on November 14, 1991, and was issued an instrument rating on April 17, 1995. The pilot spent the weekend hunting for antelope near Carrizozo, New Mexico. He flew to the Roswell Industrial Air Center, in Roswell, New Mexico, on Friday afternoon, and drove 2 hours to Carrizozo to join 6 of his friends for the hunt. On Sunday afternoon, he departed the Roswell Airport at 1609 and flew VFR to the Carrizozo Municipal Airport. The pilot's logbook could not be located. The certificated flight instructor who checked out the pilot in the airplane and gave the pilot instrument instruction agreed to complete the NTSB Form 6120.1/2 attached to this report. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION According to the flight instructor, the pilot owned the airplane for over 3 years. The airplane was topped off with 51.9 gallons of 100LL fuel at 1900, prior to departure from Amarillo. The airplane had been previously topped off with 14.2 gallons of 100LL fuel at Roswell on Friday. On November 18, 1977, the airframe was modified by the installation of a Robertson STOL modification kit, at 340.7 airframe hours. The airplane was also retrofitted with a Ram conversion on January 19, 1984, at 1,230.8 airframe hours (0.00 tach time), which included the installation of a Hartzell Q-tip propeller, and Slick pressurized magnetos. On May 24, 1994, at 977.6 tach. hours/2,208.4 airframe hours, extensive airframe repairs were completed at Greely, Colorado, following a landing incident at Aspen, Colorado. The last annual inspection was completed on July 3, 1995 at 2,246.1 airframe hours. The last maintenance performed was on August 29, 1995. at 2,269.2 airframe hours. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The closest weather observation facility was at Amarillo, Texas, 23 miles to the west of the accident site. The surface weather observations, as well as doppler radar recordings are attached to this report. There were no reports of any icing or turbulence in the area at the time of the accident. The tops of the overcast layer were reported to be between 6,500 and 7,000 feet. The official sunset was 1843. COMMUNICATIONS The transcripts from all pertinent communications between the airplane and Albuquerque Center are enclosed in this report. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The wreckage was located in an unharvested milo field approximately 28 miles east of Amarillo. The airplane impacted the ground on a measured heading of 304 degrees. The wreckage was strewn in an area approximately 170 feet by 80 feet. Flight control continuity could not be established due to the condition of the wreckage and the separation of both wings and empennage. The fuel selector was located and found to be in the left tank position. The mixture control was found in the full rich position. The propeller control was found in the full increase (high RPM) position, and the throttle was found approximately 1.5 inches out. Fragments of green glass, identified as the wing tip navigational light for the right wing were found at the initial point of impact. The leading edge of the right wing was found crushed aft across the entire span of the wing. The engine was found buried in the ground to an estimated depth of approximately 3 feet. The 3-blade propeller was found buried in the ground adjacent to the engine. A two inch portion of the Q-tip blades was found exposed above ground level on two blades. The cockpit and cabin area of the airplane were compromised and cockpit instruments and autopilot components were destroyed. The directional gyro was located in the wreckage and was examined. The directional gyro gimbals were slightly deformed. The gyro rotor exhibited silver colored circumferential scoring, with silver colored metal chips found in two gyro rotor air buckets. Examination of the engine revealed that the vacuum pump was broken off; however, the drive coupling was undamaged and in place. No evidence of pre-impact fire was found during the investigation. Evidence of post-impact fire was evident on the inboard side of both wings, the cabin area, and the scorched crops adjacent to the left wing. Examination of the airplane at the accident site did not disclose any mechanical problems or pre-impact anomalies. On-scene investigation revealed that the landing gear was retracted and the wing flaps were in the up position. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION An autopsy and toxicological tests were requested and performed. The autopsy was performed by Office of the Medical Examiner for Lubbock County, in Lubbock, Texas, on September 25, 1995. Toxicological tests were negative. TEST AND RESEARCH The engine was examined at the manufacturer's facility in Mobile, Alabama, on January 23, 1996. The turbocharger was also examined. No defects were found that would have prevented normal engine operation. ADDITIONAL DATA The wreckage was released to the owner's representative upon completion of the investigation.
Loss of control for unknown reason(s).
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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