Accident
On July 2, 2014, about 1830 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 210L, registration N1175Q, was substantially damaged during a loss of control while attempting a go-around from runway 14 at Las Vegas Municipal Airport (LVS), Las Vegas, New Mexico. The pilot received serious injuries, and the three passengers received minor injuries. The aircraft was operated by the private pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight was not on a flight plan. The flight originated from Ames Municipal Airport (AMW), Ames, Iowa, at an unconfirmed time.
The pilot reported to first responders that he was attempting to land on runway 14. He stated that he checked for weather or issues with the runway but received no response. When about 200 feet above ground level, he noticed vehicles and flashers on the runway. He applied power and began climbing, but the fuel "started cutting out" and he lost control. A passenger reported that the pilot called the tower—but LVS was uncontrolled—and received no response. She said that upon seeing work trucks, he tried to "pull up" but lacked sufficient time, and the airplane crashed.
Aircraft
The airplane was a 1972 Cessna 210L, a single-engine, high-wing monoplane seating six occupants. It had retractable tricycle landing gear and was powered by a Continental IO-520-L engine rated at 300 horsepower. The most recent annual inspection was completed on June 27, 2013, at which time the aircraft had accumulated 5,729.84 total hours, and the engine had 1,466.64 hours since overhaul.
Pilot
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating and a second-class medical certificate issued January 24, 2014. Partial logbook records showed a total flight time of 350.4 hours, with 41.8 hours in the accident airplane as of August 17, 2013. He had received high-performance training in the accident airplane on July 19, 2013, lasting 3.2 hours.
Weather and Airport
At 1853, weather at LVS included wind from 150° at 13 knots, 10 miles visibility, few clouds at 4,900 feet, temperature 19°C, dew point 9°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.32 inches of mercury. LVS was an uncontrolled airport with no operating control tower; pilots used the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) to announce intentions. The airport had two intersecting runways: 14/32 and 2/20. A notice to airmen (NOTAM) was in effect closing runway 14/32 from July 1, 2014, at 1100 MDT to July 3, 2014, at 2000 MDT.
Wreckage
On-site examination revealed the landing gear was down, with the nose and left main gear collapsed. The fuel selector valve handle was positioned between left and off. No fuel spill was evident, and no fuel was visible in the wing tanks. Subsequent examination found no anomalies with the airframe, engine, or systems. The aircraft was equipped with a JPI EDM-700 engine monitor (non-recording) and a JPI FS-450 fuel monitor. After the accident, the FS-450 indicated 288.1 gallons of fuel used and 0 gallons remaining. The Cessna 210L has a fuel capacity of 90 gallons with 89 usable. The straight-line distance from AMW to LVS is 658 nautical miles. Performance charts at 8,000 feet pressure altitude and standard temperature indicate a cruise speed of 171 knots at 15 gallons per hour, requiring about 60 gallons for the flight. It is not known how much fuel was on board at departure.