Cessna P210N accident near Cambridge, New York, May 21, 2010
On May 21, 2010 at about 5:24 pm local time, a Cessna P210N, registered N234JK, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Cambridge, New York (Chapin Field Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of directional control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 2010 · about 5:24 pm local time
- Place
- Cambridge, New York · Chapin Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N234JK · registry record · serial P210-00177
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he and his passenger were practicing short-field landings at multiple airports. After completing a full stop, he taxied back to the runway and configured the airplane for a short-field takeoff. About 500 feet into the takeoff roll, the airplane became airborne with a high angle of attack. The pilot added full power and the airplane abruptly yawed to the left. The pilot corrected with coordinated rudder and aileron. As the airplane accelerated in ground effect, the right main gear touched down in a recently plowed field adjacent to the runway. The airplane bounced three times and the pilot aborted the takeoff, touching down in the field. The nose gear separated on contact, resulting in the airplane nosing over and coming to rest inverted. The empennage and wings of the airplane incurred substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical abnormalities with the airplane prior to the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 373 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 277 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 17, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, military
- 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: 14,000 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 13,000 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 17, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,182 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 2009; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-B17F (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kinderhook Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: DDH Bennington VT at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 1B8 Cambridge NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 2,130 ft by 65 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from DDH, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.