Pilot Debrief

CESSNA T210N near Gaithersburg, MD — 2014-09-13

Final reportERA14TA435
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Date
2014-09-13
Location
Gaithersburg, MD, USA
Airport
GAI
Aircraft
CESSNA T210N
Registration
N5132C
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to execute a missed approach after recognizing that the airplane was not aligned with the wet runway, which resulted in a long landing with a tailwind and a subsequent runway overrun.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the flight departed in visual flight rules conditions. While returning to the departure airport, the pilot obtained an instrument flight rules clearance due to instrument meteorological conditions at the destination. He was then vectored to intercept the final approach course for an RNAV (GPS) approach. Radar data indicated that the airplane subsequently flew the final approach course inbound from the intermediate fix to a point slightly south of the final approach fix (FAF). The radar data showed that, beyond the FAF to about 2.3 nautical miles from the runway, the airplane was not established on the final approach course and that it made several "S"-type turns. Witness, pilot, and passenger accounts indicated that the airplane was left of course when it broke out of the clouds. The pilot subsequently executed a right turn while maintaining visual contact with the runway. He then landed the airplane about halfway down the wet runway with about a 7-knot tailwind and 40 degrees of flaps extended. The pilot was unable to stop the airplane, and it overran the end of the runway and impacted rising terrain, which caused the nose landing gear to collapse and the airplane to nose over. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Controlled flight into terrain
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have executed a go-around earlier to avoid landing issues.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 11 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents11

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