Cessna 210 N7316E accident near Lodi, California

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to attain a proper touchdown point, which led to a runway excursion.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot reported that, following an uneventful local personal flight, he entered the airport traffic pattern, and he then landed the airplane slightly beyond the runway numbers at 75 mph. He let the airplane "coast" down the remainder of the runway, and as it crossed the runway threshold, he applied brakes with the airplane about 15 to 20 mph to prepare to initiate a right turn. Shortly after, the airplane broke traction and skidded in a straight line. Despite the pilot's attempts to stop the airplane, it impacted an airport perimeter fence about 495 ft beyond the runway threshold, traveled across a ditch and adjacent frontage road, impacted a second fence, and then came to rest upright. The pilot stated that the asphalt was damp with scattered puddles.

A pilot-rated witness, who was located at the airport adjacent to the runway reported that he observed the airplane on downwind and that, as the airplane neared the approach end of the runway, it made a steep right turn toward the runway. The witness said that the airplane appeared to be traveling too fast over the runway and that it touched down around the area where the two runways intersected. The witness further stated that the airplane seemed to be under braking immediately after touchdown but that it continued off the runway.

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Examination of the runway revealed skid marks extending from the departure end of the runway threshold to the airport perimeter fence. Both the left and right tires exhibited signatures consistent with skidding.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR16LA061 for the full record.