Cessna 210-5 accident near West Glacier, Montana, July 2, 2012
On July 2, 2012 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 210-5, registered N8450Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near West Glacier, Montana (Ryan Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot elected to abort the takeoff without sufficient runway available to land and stop the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the illusion created by the rising terrain, which influenced the pilot's decision to abort the takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2012 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- West Glacier, Montana · Ryan Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210-5 · all 210-5s on the register
- Registration
- N8450Z · no longer on the register · serial 205-0450
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane accelerated normally on the takeoff roll. It became airborne between 1,000 and 1,200 feet down the 2,500-foot runway, had a positive rate of climb, but was not climbing as he would have expected. The pilot elected to abort the takeoff and reduced power but then realized that he did not have enough runway remaining to land. As the pilot was adding power to abort the landing the airplane contacted the ground, departed the runway, and came to rest about 1/4 mile beyond the end of the runway after colliding with a log. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot stated that he felt the optical illusion of rising terrain and a rising runway caused him to feel that the airplane was not climbing adequately.
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 initial climb defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action sequence › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusio › Visual illusion/disorientation › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,295 hours in all; 7,181 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 7,181 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 5, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,805 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 10, 2011; 114 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2MT1 West Glacier MT at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 8U2 Schafer Meadows MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 2,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 4:30 pm from GPI, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.