Cessna 210 Safety Record

FAILURE OF THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP, THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ACTIVATE THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP, POOR INFLIGHT DECISION, AND POOR EXECUTION OF EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT IS THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS MODEL AIRCRAFT.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL IN INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS AND HIS SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS WERE A FAILURE OF THE VACUUM PUMP AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN PARTIAL PANEL INSTRUMENT FLYING OR TRAINING.

IMPAIRMENT OF THE PILOT FROM USE OF DRUGS (COCAINE), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE (OR ALTITUDE) FROM THE MOUNTAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND THE PILOT'S PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDTION (DEPRESSION).

VFR FLIGHT BY THE NON-INSTUMENT RATED PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), HIS LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL, DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, AND HIS EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHILE RECOVERING FROM AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARK NIGHT, ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, LOSS OF THE VACUUM SYSTEM, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

THE PILOT'S INITIATION OF FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, THE RAPID ICE ACCUMULATION ON THE AIRFRAME, AND AN INADVERTENT STALL-MUSH, RESULTING IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT INTO TERRAIN.

CONTINUED FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE FROM WOODED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND THE WEATHER/TERRAIN CONDITIONS.

THE SEPARATION OF THE PROPELLER SYSTEM FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE SEVERITY OF THE INJURIES WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ASSURE THAT A RAFT AND/OR LIFEVESTS WERE ON THE AIRPLANE DURING THE OVERWATER PORTION OF THE FLIGHT.

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S DISREGARD OF THE WEATHER INFORMATION PROVIDED DURING TWO BRIEFINGS AND HIS DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDTIONS. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF NIGHT AND INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), HIS MISJUDGMENT OF ALTITUDE AND HIS PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT FROM USE OF DRUGS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE PILOT'S PROBABLE SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, AND THE NIGHT/WEATHER CONDITIONS.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED, AND HIS EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RECOVER FROM AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, CLOUD CONDITION, PILOT FATIGUE, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE. .

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE TERRAIN AND WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

CONTINUED FLIGHT BY THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE, AND HIS FAILURE TO UPDATE HIS WEATHER INFORMATION.

THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LOCATE THE DESTINATION AIRPORT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO AVOID THE TERRAIN IN THE AREA. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT' OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS PERSONAL ABILITY AND PRESSURE FROM HIS PASSENGER TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT.