History of Flight
On July 15, 2022, at about 1815 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 210C, registration N3659Y, was destroyed in an accident near Shelby, Michigan. The private pilot and one passenger sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
The airplane departed from runway 9 at Oceana County Airport (C04), Shelby, Michigan, with a planned destination of Warsaw Municipal Airport (ASW), Warsaw, Indiana. Two witnesses, both commercial pilots, observed the departure. One reported the ceiling at takeoff was no higher than 100 ft. The other witness stated the airplane entered instrument meteorological conditions as it crossed a road about 1,300 ft beyond the departure end of the runway. Both witnesses noted poor visibility and rain at the time.
Another witness, who owned the property where the airplane impacted, was inside his home. He heard a loud roar outside and initially thought it was a tractor-trailer. He then heard a bang, looked outside, and saw smoke or dust. He realized an airplane had crashed adjacent to his house in the woods; the engine was running and revving. The sequence lasted about 30 seconds.
No radar or automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast data were recorded for the accident flight.
Personnel Information
When asked if her husband showed urgency in commencing the flight in instrument weather conditions, the pilot's widow stated that their son was driving in a demolition derby race in Warsaw, and her husband had missed previous races and did not want to miss this one.
Meteorological Information
At the time of the accident, a low-pressure system was located in Iowa, associated with a cold front and stationary front extending from Nebraska through southern Iowa and Illinois eastward through Kentucky. A mid-level trough was located above the accident site.
Weather at Oceana County Airport (C04) at 1815:03, recorded by the Automated Weather Observing System, included wind from 130° at 5 knots, visibility 2 miles, temperature 17°C, relative humidity 98%, and an altimeter setting of 30.09 inches of mercury. No ceiling information was available for C04. National Weather Service forecasts indicated instrument meteorological conditions were expected to persist beyond 2300. A search of Leidos and ForeFlight systems showed the pilot did not request weather information from these providers before the flight.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage was located in a wooded area about 1.5 nautical miles southeast of C04. No fire occurred. The wreckage was highly fragmented, with a measured descent angle through broken tree limbs of about 50°. All structural components were accounted for within the wreckage path. Smooth, angular cuts consistent with propeller blade contact were found on several tree branches.
The right wing struck a large-diameter tree and was impact-separated from the fuselage, located about 30 ft west of the fuselage. The right flap and a portion of the outboard right aileron were separated from the crushed wing structure. The nose of the aircraft impacted soft, sandy soil, and the propeller was embedded about 4 ft deep into the ground.
The left wing was also impact-separated and located about 40 ft east of the fuselage, fractured into multiple pieces. Most of the left flap and left aileron remained attached to a section of the aft spar.
The empennage sustained significant compression damage and remained attached to the crushed fuselage. The left and right horizontal stabilizers and both elevators remained attached. The vertical stabilizer and rudder sustained tree impact damage at approximately mid-span; an approximate 3-ft section of the top of the rudder, with the balance weight attached, was found adjacent to the empennage.
Control cable continuity within the flight control system was not established due to general fragmentation and multiple impact-related cable separations. The hydraulic flap actuators indicated the flaps were fully retracted.
The fuel tanks were fragmented, with pieces of rubber bladder observed throughout the site; no residual fuel was found.
The instrument panel was fractured into multiple pieces. The directional gyro, attitude indicator, and turn coordinator were found near the impact crater; all three gyros exhibited minor scoring, indicative of rotation at impact. The airspeed indicator was separated and recovered from the impact crater, with the needle bent aft and captured near 230 knots indicated airspeed.
Engine compression and valve train continuity could not be established due to impact damage. The magnetos were found loose on top of the engine, sustained impact damage, and did not produce spark. The top spark plugs were removed and exhibited normal color and wear per a Champion inspection chart. Engine accessories, including the engine-driven hydraulic pump, fuel pump, vacuum pump, and alternator, were impact-separated from the engine. The fuel pump drive coupling and vacuum pump coupling were intact. The fuel control inlet screen and fuel manifold screen were clean and free of obstructions; fuel was observed inside the manifold during disassembly. The oil filter paper element was clean.
The propeller assembly was found in the impact crater. One propeller blade was separated from the hub, twisted, bent aft, and exhibited polishing and chordwise scratches on the cambered side. The second blade remained attached to the hub, bent aft approximately 90° at mid-span, with chordwise scratches on the face near the propeller hub, consistent with rotation during bending and impact with the engine cowling.
Medical and Pathological Information
According to the Medical Examiner's autopsy report from Western Michigan University School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, Michigan, the cause of death of the pilot was multiple severe injuries, and the manner of death was accident. Tests for ethanol and drugs were negative.