Cessna P210N N5268W

Summary

On 9 August 2001 at about 17:45 local time, a Cessna P210N registered N5268W was involved in an accident near Mackinac Island, Michigan, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 August 2001 at 17:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Mackinac Island, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

MacKinac Island (MCD)

Coordinates

45.8507, -84.6194

Aircraft

Cessna P210N

Registration

N5268W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wheeling → Mackinac Island

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI01LA269

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain proper glidepath during the landing approach resulting in the pilot not maintaining clearance from the trees. Factors were the haze, the gusty winds, and the trees.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane impacted trees and terrain short of the runway while landing. The pilot said that he encountered turbulence in the traffic pattern. He said that the stall warning horn sounded and he added power, but could not clear the trees. He said that he elected to retract the flaps, hold his attitude and clear the trees if possible, or land in the trees. He made no mention of mechanical difficulties. A witness said that he saw the airplane as it made its approach to land. He said that on the final approach the airplane, "...got very low." He estimated that the airplane was no more than 100 feet above the trees when it passed over the eastern shoreline bluff of the island. He said that the airplane then made a steep climbing turn to the left at a pitch of 30 to 40 degrees nose up. He said that he could see the top of both wings before the airplane passed from his view behind the trees. The wind was 250 degrees at 9 knots gusting to 19 knots and the wind direction was variable between 210 and 320 degrees. The visibility was restricted by haze. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies that could be associated with a pre-impact condition.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.