Cessna T210N N9448Y

Summary

On 16 February 1991 at about 02:50 local time, a Cessna T210N registered N9448Y, operated by South Tahoe Const. Co., was involved in an accident near Kyburz, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 February 1991 at 02:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Kyburz, California, United States

Coordinates

38.7701, -120.2592

Aircraft

Cessna T210N

Registration

N9448Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

South Tahoe Const. Co.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Placerville → Yerington

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX91FA108

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO CONDUCT HIS VISUAL FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND THE LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL BY BECOMING SPATIAL DISORIENTED. THE LOW CEILINGS AND THE DARK NIGHT THAT EXISTED IN THE AREA WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT TOOK OFF ON A NIGHT FLIGHT TO RETURN TO HIS HOME UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES WITHOUT OBTAINING A WEATHER BRIEFING OR FILING A FLIGHT PLAN. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED ALONG THE ROUTE AT THE TIME. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO ARRIVE AT ITS DESTINATION THE PILOT'S FAMILY REPORTED HIM OVERDUE. AN AERIAL SEARCH ALONG THE AIRCRAFT'S ASSUMED FLIGHT ROUTE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL UNTIL AN NTAP OF THE AIRCRAFT'S RADAR TRACK WAS OBTAINED FROM FAA'S AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER. THE SEARCH AIRCRAFT, USING THE NTAP AS A GUIDE, FOUND THE AIRCRAFT'S WRECKAGE IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT THE END OF THE RADAR PLOT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.