Cessna 210 — Baytown, TX

What happened

The non-instrument rated private pilot was on a 197-nautical mile cross-country flight. Weather forecast for the route of flight was for marginal weather conditions and visual flight rules (VFR) was not recommended. A review of the airplane's radar track shows the airplane's approach from the east, heading westbound. At about 1830 the airplane initiated a descent from 6,500 feet. Prior to disappearing from radar at 1844, the airplane made a single, descending "S" turn, beginning at an altitude of 2400 feet, and ending at the last radar plot at 1,100 feet. A witness, near the crash site, reported that the weather at the time of the crash was extremely foggy, with visibility less than a tenth of a mile. The accident pilot stated to an air traffic controller that he needed to perform a 180-degree turn, because he was not able to get [down through the weather]. The airplane's ground impact created approximately a 16-foot long, 7-foot wide, and 30-inch deep crater in the ground. The airplane was fragmented, with pieces of the airplane scattered along the wreckage path. Near the start of the wreckage path, several angular cuts were found on tree branches. Additionally, patches of vegetation near the initial impact area displayed signs of fuel contamination. An examination of the airplane failed to identify any pre-impact abnormalities with the aircraft. Analysis of the radar data, the pilot's air traffic control communication and the fragmentation of the airplane is consistent with an in-flight loss of control.

An editorial "what led to it / how to avoid it" analysis for this accident is generated separately and will appear here.