Cessna T210N accident near Gaithersburg, Maryland, September 13, 2014
On September 13, 2014 at about 5:40 pm local time, a 1979 Cessna T210N, registered N5132C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Gaithersburg, Maryland (Montgomery County Airpark airport). It was a public-use flight (federal) under public-use (government) rules. No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to execute a missed approach after recognizing that the airplane was not aligned with the wet runway, which resulted in a long landing with a tailwind and a subsequent runway overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 2014 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Gaithersburg, Maryland · Montgomery County Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N, built 1979 · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5132C · no longer on the register · serial 21063708
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the flight departed in visual flight rules conditions. While returning to the departure airport, the pilot obtained an instrument flight rules clearance due to instrument meteorological conditions at the destination. He was then vectored to intercept the final approach course for an RNAV (GPS) approach. Radar data indicated that the airplane subsequently flew the final approach course inbound from the intermediate fix to a point slightly south of the final approach fix (FAF). The radar data showed that, beyond the FAF to about 2.3 nautical miles from the runway, the airplane was not established on the final approach course and that it made several "S"-type turns. Witness, pilot, and passenger accounts indicated that the airplane was left of course when it broke out of the clouds. The pilot subsequently executed a right turn while maintaining visual contact with the runway. He then landed the airplane about halfway down the wet runway with about a 7-knot tailwind and 40 degrees of flaps extended. The pilot was unable to stop the airplane, and it overran the end of the runway and impacted rising terrain, which caused the nose landing gear to collapse and the airplane to nose over. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Wet › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,940 hours in all; 40 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 6,880 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 25, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,606 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 14, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 5,475 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MIV Millville NJ at 3:30 pm
- Destination: GAI Gaithersburg MD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 4,202 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from GAI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N5132C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.