Event ATL02LA056

Factual narrative

On February 27, 2002, about 1718 eastern standard time, a Cessna 210L, N115CW, registered to Able To Be There, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight crashed on landing at Fulton County Airport-Brown Field, Atlanta, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The private pilot and pilot rated passenger reported no injuries. The flight originated from Melbourne, Florida, about 1350. According to the controller at the Fulton County Tower, the pilot came in high and fast. The airplane appeared to touch down on the runway with about 2,100 feet of runway remaining. He did not observe any signs of braking action until the airplane was about 100 feet from the end of the runway. The airplane continued off the end of the runway and down an embankment. The pilot stated upon reaching the Atlanta area he was asked by approach control if he would accept a vector over Hartsfield International Airport at 4,500 feet which he acknowledged. He was subsequently turned over to Fulton County Tower about three miles from the airport and cleared to land straight in to runway 26. He applied the speed brakes and extended the landing gear upon reaching gear extension speed. He elected not to make a no flap landing due to winds and flared the airplane at about 120. Once on the runway he started light braking action to bleed off airspeed and noticed that he was crossing the intersection of runway 31/14. He though about initiating a go-around but noted his airspeed was 60 and he could see the end of the runway. He attempted more braking action and the airplane went off the end of the runway and down an embankment and sustained damage to the tail section, landing gear and both wings. When asked if he experienced any pre-crash mechanical failure or malfunction he said no, it was simply a pilot error accident. The pilot was at 4,500 feet three miles from his destination airport when he was cleared to land. He elected not to use flaps due to a 11 knot crosswind and winds gusting at 19 knots. The pilot activated the speed brakes, extended the landing gear, and touched down long and fast on the runway. He initiated light braking action to bleed off airspeed and noticed that he was crossing an intersecting runway. He thought about making a go-around, but noted his airspeed was 60 and he could see the end of the runway. He attempted additional braking action and the airplane went off the end of the runway, down an embankment, and nosed over. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12