MANTEO, NC, USA
N5811F
CESSNA 210F
DURING CRUISE FLIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, TOTAL ELECTRICAL POWER WAS LOST. THE PILOT FLEW EAST UNTIL HE BELIEVED HE WAS OVER WATER & DESCENDED BELOW THE OVERCAST. HE FLEW BACK TO DRY LAND AND EVENTUALLY ELECTED TO LAND ON A ROAD, WHEN THE CEILING CONTINUED TO LOWER. THE AIRPLANE LANDED FAST, WITH THE FLAPS RETRACTED, ON A HIGHWAY. HE SAID HE LANDED TO ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE OF ELECTRICAL WIRES ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE. THE RIGHT WHEEL DROPPED OFF OF THE PAVEMENT AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED INTO A DITCH BESIDE THE ROAD. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ALTERNATOR BELT HAD SEPARATED. AN AMMETER IS INSTALLED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, & WAS FOUND TO BE OPERABLE AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE OWNER'S MANUAL, BEFORE LANDING CHECKLIST, STATES THAT THE FLAPS SHOULD BE LOWERED, & A SPEED OF 75-85 MPH USED DURING LANDING.
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, IN THAT HE FAILED TO NOTE THE DISCHARGE OF ELECTRICAL POWER ON THE AMMETER, AND HIS LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE OFF AIRPORT LANDING. FACTORS WERE THE DISABLED ALTERNATOR AND A LOW CLOUD CEILING.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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