Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Tappahannock Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Tappahannock, Virginia 22560
Sunday, December 30, 2001 11:10 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While in cruise flight, the airplane's left engine lost total power. The pilot elected to perform a single-engine landing at the nearest airport, on runway 02. During the landing flare, a gust of wind forced the left wing down and it struck the runway. The airplane continued off the left side of the runway and came to rest in the grass area. The winds reported by an air traffic controller from an airport 30 miles to the southwest, were from 330 degrees at 6 knots, gusting to 22 knots. The airport where the winds were reported from had six runways, one of which was oriented on a heading of 340 degrees. Examination of the engine revealed that the alternate air valve had broken off and was observed embedded in the fuel injector servo. According to the Cessna 310H Pilot Operating Handbook, the last item under the Engine Failure During Flight Checklist, was to land at the nearest suitable airport. The pilot reported 5,117 hours of total flight experience, 10 of which were in make and model. He additionally reported 38 hours of multi-engine flight experience.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusty wind conditions. Factors in the accident were the gusty wind conditions and the total loss of left engine power due to the alternate air valve becoming disconnected and embedded in the fuel injector servo.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/30/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1110 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Tappahannock |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 22560 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 375530N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0765217W |
| Event Location Airport | Tappahannock Muni Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | W79 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 31 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1055 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 40 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | NHK |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 40 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 30 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 10000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 7 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 230 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.77 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -770 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 12857 |
| NTSB Notification Source | EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 31 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1137 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 15 2003 4:03PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Richmond FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N10MS |
| NTSB Number | IAD02LA022 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 310H |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 310H0006 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5100 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 1 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Micheal Mitchell |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Belmont |
| Aircraft Owner State | MA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 02478 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | AVL |
| Departure City | Asheville |
| Departure State | NC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 900 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | BED |
| Destination City | Bedford |
| Destination State | MA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing - flare/touchdown |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 18 2002 8:55AM |
| User who most recently changed record | COXP |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 02 |
| Runway Length | 2785 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |