What happened
On May 16, 2016, a Cessna 210F, registration N6450N, crashed into a wooded area near Wantage, New Jersey, during a night flight. The aircraft departed from Griffiss International Airport (RME) in Rome, New York, at 2143. The flight was conducted under night visual meteorological conditions with 10 miles of visibility and a clear sky.
No flight plan had been filed for the flight, and the intended destination was unknown. Although the aircraft was not reported overdue, air traffic control received emergency locator transmitter signals near the accident site at 2252. The wreckage was located by the Civil Airport Patrol on May 19, 2016. Radar data showed the aircraft's transponder was active with code 1200, and the final radar target was recorded at 2241:56 at an altitude of 900 feet mean sea level.
1 fatal injury was reported, involving the pilot. Toxicological testing of the pilot was negative for drugs and alcohol, and an autopsy found no evidence of natural disease contributing to death.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and found a debris path starting with severed tree branches and portions of the left horizontal stabilizer and left elevator, extending approximately 200 feet to the main wreckage. The main wreckage was found inverted at an elevation of 670 feet mean sea level.
Mechanical examination of the Cessna 210F revealed:
- The landing gear was in the retracted position.
- The engine, a Continental Motors IO-520, showed no signs of mechanical failure; thumb compression was attained on all cylinders and the magnetos produced spark.
- The propeller blades were bent aft, consistent with impact.
- The left aileron control cable had separated at the doorpost, but control continuity was confirmed from the elevator, rudder, and right aileron to the cockpit.
- No fuel was recovered from the tanks, which had been breached during the crash.
GPS data recovered from the wreckage corroborated radar information, showing a descent and a series of 90-degree turns during the final moments of flight. The data did not indicate a selected destination.
Findings
- The aircraft collided with trees during a night cross-country flight.
- There were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions identified in the wreckage.
- The pilot's flight track was consistent with control inputs during the final descent, suggesting no pilot incapacitation.