Pilot Debrief

CESSNA T210N near Truckee, CA — 2010-04-03

Final reportWPR10CA190
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Date
2010-04-03
Location
Truckee, CA, USA
Airport
TRK
Aircraft
CESSNA T210N
Registration
N4137C
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to identify the snow-covered runway, which resulted in an off-runway landing and subsequent collision with a berm.

NTSB narrative

While nearing the vicinity of the destination airport, the pilot received an airport condition report from airport personnel. The report indicated that there was ice with a 1- to 2-inch layer of snow blanketing the runway surface. On final approach, the pilot aligned the airplane for landing and flared over what he thought was the normal touchdown point, when in actuality the airplane touched down about 50 feet north of, and parallel to, the runway. While on the landing roll the airplane encountered a snow berm at the edge of a cross runway that collapsed the nose landing gear and damaged the firewall. The pilot opined that his complacency and deviation from standard aeronautical decisionmaking practices resulted in the accident. The pilot additionally reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures prior to impact.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have reconsidered landing approach due to runway conditions.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 1 docket document
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents1

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