Michael Wakabi
15 June 2008
Nairobi — In the absence of flight recorders on the Cessna 210E aircraft, investigators trying to established the cause of the crash will rely on analyses of the wreckage and its pattern, the point of impact in relation to the intended track and any radar information and communication between the pilot and air traffic controllers.
A darling of light aircraft operators for its combination of speed, range and carrying capability, the Cessna 210 series has been in production since 1957.
But this ceased in 1985 after manufacturer General Dynamics withdrew the type citing highly punitive US product liability laws.
Carry loads
Over the course of its 28-year production cycle, the aircraft was liked for its speed that topped 321 kilometres per hour and range that exceeded 1000 kilometers on a single 65 gallon tank.
Many operators liked it for its ability to carry loads that were ordinarily suited for twin- engine counterparts, making it a very economical workhorse.
The 210E was designed to operate at a maximum ceiling of 21,000 feet above sea level, further opening up its market in high terrain.
Grass strips
Although out of production for two decades now, large fleets of Cessna aircraft remain in operation with as many as 275 still on the Australian register as of October 2007.
It is one of many light aircraft that are suited to the African environment where grass strips are a common feature in remote parts of the continent.
It is a short field performance aircraft that requires just 177 metres for take off and 210 for landing.
Although it has had its fair share of bugs such as water accumulating in the fuel tanks and potentially fatal cracking of exhausts, packages for dealing with these have been developed and experienced operators normally know how to handle them.
Most notable recent accidents involving the type include the April 2006 death of famed test pilot Scott Crossfield in a crash in Georgia USA. The US National Safety Transportation Board concluded that the accident was probably due to negligence on the part of the pilot.
Controlled flight
From the preliminary finding as reported by the Nation on Saturday however, the Kenyan crash appears to have been a controlled flight into terrain as the aircraft engine was reported to have been running before impact and wings were level, having been ripped off by the trees the aircraft encountered as it dived.
Coming only 15 minutes before the final destination many theories are open. It is possible the pilot came down too early, being unfamiliar with the area or faulty on-board instruments which could have led him to believe he was flying higher than he actually was.
The pilot could also have blinded by fog and, depending entirely on calculations with no radar assistance at the destination air field, he landed way short of the field.
Since the pilot did not declare an emergency, the possibility of running out of fuel is remote as his instruments would have made that clear and the engines would have stopped running anyway.
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