Cessna T210L accident near Lock Haven, PA
On June 21, 2010, a Cessna T210L (airplane) was involved in an accident near Lock Haven, PA. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- June 21, 2010
- Place
- Lock Haven, PA
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210L · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 41.134°N, 77.434°W
- NTSB ID
- 20100621X53342
Official records · ERA10GA320
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 21, 2010, at 1257 eastern daylight time, a Cessna T210L, N30266, registered to Sterling Airways, Inc., and operated under contract by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, was substantially damaged when it struck a light stanchion and collided with terrain while maneuvering for a forced landing following a total loss of engine power near William T. Piper Memorial Airport (LHV), Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. The certificated airline transport pilot and two USDA Forest Service mission specialists were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the public use aerial observation flight, which departed Clarion Country Airport (AXQ), Clarion, Pennsylvania, about 1035. According to a representative of USDA Forest Service, the purpose of the flight was to conduct an aerial survey of tree defoliation in southwestern Pennsylvania. A review of fueling records revealed that the pilot serviced the airplane with 49 gallons of fuel on the evening of June 20, 2010. Automated Flight Following (AFF) data provided by the USDA Forest Service indicated that, on the morning of the accident, the pilot repositioned the airplane from its base at Hornell Municipal Airport (4G6), Hornell, New York, to AQX where the two USDA Forest Service mission specialists boarded it about 1030. The flight from AQX was scheduled to arrive at LHV about 1300 to refuel the airplane, before continuing with the survey. About 1250, AFF data indicated that the airplane was about 14 miles w
Probable cause
The total loss of engine power resulting from the fatigue failure of the engine's number 2 cylinder exhaust valve. The fatigue failure was due to valve guide wear that led to excessive clearance between the valve and valve guide. Contributing to the accident was the contract operator’s lack of compliance with its own maintenance procedures, which, if followed, would have prevented the accident.
More accidents in PA
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- Beech A36, Jul 30, 1989
Browse: Pennsylvania · 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.
