2018 Cessna 210L accident at Riberalta (CP-2744)

Overview and flight details On 27 September 2018, a Cessna 210L with registration CP-2744 and manufacturer serial number 21059960 was involved in an accident while landing at Aeropuerto Selin Zeitun López in Riberalta, Bolivia. The aircraft was operated by Aerotaxi Ariel and was based in Riberalta. The accident occurred at 15:00 local time, corresponding to 19:00 UTC. The flight had departed from Cobija’s Aníbal Arab Fadul airport at 13:54 local time under a visual flight rules plan. The flight plan, number 015908, listed four people on board and an estimated flight time of 1 hour 10 minutes. The aircraft arrived at Riberalta at 15:00 local time. ## Accident sequence After landing on runway 14, the aircraft touched down approximately 600 meters from the runway threshold. About 150 meters from the runway exit, the nose wheel separated from its fork. The fork then dragged on the pavement for about 100 meters before breaking away from the main hydraulic shock absorber. At that point, the propeller contacted the pavement, and the aircraft continued to drag for another 50 meters before coming to a stop. The pilot and all occupants evacuated the aircraft by their own means. No injuries were reported. ## Aircraft and damage The aircraft was a single-engine, high-wing, retractable-gear Cessna 210L with a variable-pitch, three-blade propeller. It used AVGAS 100/130 fuel. The airworthiness certificate, number 980, was valid until 9 February 2020. Damage was found to the nose gear fork, which was described as irreparably damaged, and to all three propeller blades, which were bent. The report also noted damage to the asphalt surface. ## Personnel and conditions The pilot was a 58-year-old Bolivian male holding a commercial pilot license and a valid medical certificate. He had 22,530:30 total flight hours and 1,000 hours on the type. The accident occurred in daylight under conditions suitable for visual flight rules. The METAR for Riberalta at the time reported wind from 360° at 6 knots, visibility of 5,000 meters reduced by smoke and showers, scattered clouds at 1,700 feet, a few cumulonimbus clouds at 2,000 feet, and broken clouds at 20,000 feet. Navigation aids at the airport, including VOR/DME-2, RNAV (GNSS), and NDB, were operational. The aircraft’s standard navigation equipment, including NAV, COM, and GPS, was also operational. No flight recorders were applicable to the aircraft.