Cessna T210 accident near Palmyra, Pennsylvania, June 14, 2015
On June 14, 2015 at about 6:45 pm local time, a 1977 Cessna T210, registered N732VN, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Palmyra, Pennsylvania (Reigle Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delay in conducting an aborted landing and his subsequent failure to establish a proper airspeed during the attempted go-around on a hot day, which resulted in the airplane’s inability to climb and a subsequent stall/mush.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 2015 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Palmyra, Pennsylvania · Reigle Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210 M, built 1977 · all T210s on the register
- Registration
- N732VN · no longer on the register · serial 21061810
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the private pilot, following the personal flight and during the approach, he observed that the windsock was indicating light wind and that it was favoring the use of runway 31. He reported that, during the landing attempt, it felt as if "the braking had little effect," so he released the brakes and then reapplied them. However, he believed that there was insufficient runway remaining to safely stop, so he applied full engine power to attempt a go-around. The airplane lifted off, but it subsequently settled into the corn field at the departure end of the runway, which resulted in damage to the wing and engine mounts. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or abnormalities that would have precluded normal operation, and a postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact anomalies. An observation from a recording station 5 miles north of the airport indicated that the wind was from the southwest at 6 knots around the time of the accident, which could have resulted in about a 2-knot tailwind. According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook, with a 2-knot tailwind, the airplane would have required about 1,700 ft to land, and the runway had about 1,655 ft of available landing surface. The high temperature at the time of the accident would have decreased the airplane's climb performance by about 20 percent. It is likely that the pilot did not establish a proper airspeed for the go-around and that the high temperature decreased the airplane's climb performance, which resulted in a stall/mush during the attempted go-around.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during approach
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Loss of lift during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Capability exceeded
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › High temperature › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 819 hours in all; 310 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 819 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 22, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,903 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 9, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-520-R (piston); 870 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N13 Bloomsburg PA at 6:15 pm
- Destination: 58N Palmyra PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 1,955 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,900 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 6:58 pm from KMUI, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.