Cessna T210N accident near San Diego, California, December 20, 2001
On December 20, 2001 at about 4:50 am local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N7AL, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Diego, California (Montgomery Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 land on the runway with sufficient runway remaining as a result of his improper IFR procedure by his failure to maintain visual contact with the runway environment, and to execute a missed approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 20, 2001 · about 4:50 am local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · Montgomery Field · 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 · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N7AL · registry record · serial 21063261
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane landed long and continued off the end of the runway into a chain link fence. Nighttime darkness prevailed and the airport weather, observed 3 minutes after the accident, was visibility 1/4 statute mile, vertical visibility 100 feet, with temperature and dew point both 9 degrees Celsius. A sheriff's deputy reported from the accident site that the visibility was 50 to 100 yards in fog. The pilot reported that the accident occurred as he was returning to the departure airport following a 40-minute post maintenance checkflight. He received the airport weather from the Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) recording and was aware that ground fog had developed at the airport. He received air traffic clearance and executed the instrument landing system (ILS) approach. At decision height he was still in visual meteorological conditions and the runway and approach lighting were in sight. The pilot continued his descent below decision height by visual reference and encountered dense fog and severe restriction to visibility at 50 to 75 feet above ground level. The pilot did not feel a go-around was possible at that point and continued the landing approach, landing long on the runway and continuing off the end.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 1,350 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 3,400 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 28, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,929 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2001; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYF San Diego CA at 4:00 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28R, 4,577 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 am from MYF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.