Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On October 18, 2009, about 1330 mountain daylight time, a Cessna P210N, Silver Eagle conversion airplane, N7217S, impacted terrain following a loss of engine power during an emergency approach to Garfield County Regional Airport (RIL), Rifle, Colorado. The airplane was substantially damaged and the commercial pilot received minor injuries. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight which had just departed RIL.

The pilot reported that during departure from Runway 26, about one minute after takeoff, he attempted to retard the power lever to a lower power setting. The engine did not respond to his attempts until he reached the flight idle position. At that time the engine power immediately decreased to flight idle. He then pushed the power lever forward to increase power, but the engine did not respond until the power lever reached the full forward position. The pilot made a turn to downwind in preparation for an emergency landing. While preparing to land the pilot cycled the power between flight idle and full power an undetermined number of times in order to maintain airspeed. While on final the pilot attempted to increase power, but the engine did not respond. He stated he thought he saw the propeller in a feathered position prior to impact. The airplane landed short of the approach end of the runway and flipped onto its back.

The airplane came to rest about 300 feet east of the Runway 26 approach end and about 100 feet south of the extended runway centerline. The initial impact marks began 110 feet east of the airplane wreckage and were consistent with the airplane hitting with the landing gear extended. The airplane was inverted and the Hartzell three-blade propeller was separated from the airplane and found in a feathered position about three feet from the main wreckage. The right wing was partially buckled at the mid-point. The tail cone was bent approximately 20 degrees midway between the aft cabin and the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer. The vertical stabilizer and rudder exhibited crush damage consistent with impact damage. The left wing was buckled at the midpoint. Flight control cable continuity was verified from the cockpit controls to each flight control surface.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 71, held a Commercial Pilot certificate with instrument airplane, single-engine land, single-engine sea, and multiengine land ratings. The pilot indicated on the Safety Board Form 6120.1, Accident/Incident Report 1,423 total flight hours, 169 hours in type, 36 hours in the last 90 days, four hours in the last 30 days, and one hour in the last 24 hours. The pilot’s last flight review was March 31, 2009. His last Class 3 medical was issued October 22, 2008, with the limitation “Glasses.”

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane had been converted by O