Cessna T210L accident near Auburn, Alabama, January 2, 2006
On January 2, 2006 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Cessna T210L, registered N246PL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Auburn, Alabama (Auburn Opelika Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point during landing which resulted in an overrun and subsequent on ground collision with a fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 2006 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Auburn, Alabama · Auburn Opelika Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210L · all T210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N246PL · registry record · serial 21059625
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, while making a localizer approach to runway 36, in IFR conditions, the airplane broke out of the overcast at about 400 feet above ground level. The pilot forced the airplane down and landed about 2,000 feet past the runway's threshold at about 100 to 120 knots indicated airspeed. The pilot stated that he was unable to stop the airplane before it departed the end of the runway and collided with the airport's perimeter fencing. There were no mechanical problems reported by the pilot or discovered during the post-accident examination of the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,300 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 2,200 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,050 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO 520R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 02A Clanton AL at 12:15 pm
- Destination: AUO Auburn AL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 5,265 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from AUO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.