Cessna T210L accident near Tranquility, CA
On April 7, 2005, a Cessna T210L (airplane) was involved in an accident near Tranquility, CA. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 7, 2005
- Place
- Tranquility, CA
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210L · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 36.637°N, 120.400°W
- NTSB ID
- 20050413X00450
Official records · LAX05FA132
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Transcript of Weather Brief: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
1.1 HISTORY OF FLIGHT On April 7, 2005, at 0903 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna T210L, N8126L, broke up in flight and impacted terrain near Tranquility, California. The airplane was operated by the private pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured; the airplane was destroyed. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed. The flight originated at Healdsburg Municipal Airport, Healdsburg, California, about 0800, with an intended destination of Scottsdale, Arizona. The pilot and two passengers were traveling to Scottsdale, on a weekend golf trip, where they were to meet up with other members of their party. The pilot received a weather briefing from Oakland Automated Flight Service at 0554. The airplane departed Healdsburg sometime before 0800. The initial radar track was picked up over the San Pablo Bay in the San Francisco area at 0801:30, at 11,600 feet mean sea level (msl). The track continued on a southeasterly course until over Crows Landing, California, where it made a deviation to the south. After the track passed over the San Luis Reservoir it turned left to regain its original southeasterly course. The track ended at 0902:21 in the vicinity of Tranquility. Radar data revealed that the altitude encoding transponder (mode C) reported a change of altitude of 1,000 feet from 12,400 to 13,400 feet msl between the times of 0848 and 0853. The final track segment depicted the airplane level at 13,400 feet msl and traveling in a southeasterly direction when it turned abruptly to the
Probable cause
the pilot's in-flight loss of control due to spatial disorientation and a likely accumulation of airframe ice that led to a high speed descent and a structural breakup once the aerodynamic forces exceeded the strength limits of the structure. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of experience and training in instrument flight conditions.
More accidents in CA
- Douglas MD-83, Feb 1, 2000
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Browse: California · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
