FAA: Plane Came In "Long And Fast"

An 81-year-old pilot and his two passengers suffered only minor burns when their Cessna C210 Centurion reportedly bounced on landing, and overshot the runway during an attempted go-around at a small private airfield in upstate Washington Thursday night.

The FAA investigator says it appears Anthony Diamond came in "long and fast" for landing at the private Buzzards Flat Airport near Battle Ground, WA. The plane (file photo of type, below) impacted trees and caught fire.

All three passengers were able to get out of the airplane before it "blew," in the words of Diamond's wife, Jo. Anthony Diamond received first-and-second degree burns in the accident, said George Lingle, spokesman for Clark County Fire District 11.

His wife and the other occupant, Kyle Klemetsen, were also injured, but declined treatment.

Jo Diamond, 46, told the Clark County Columbian the plane "took a hop" during landing, before it ran into the trees. 

"I kicked the door open, it didn't open all the way, so I dove out," she said. "Everybody got out before it blew."

A local television station employee shot home video as crews fought the fire, and expressed amazement that anyone could have survived the accident.

**   Report created 5/19/2006   Record 2
******************************************

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 131HM        Make/Model: C210      Description: 210, T210, (Turbo)Centurion
  Date: 05/19/2006     Time: 0309

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Minor     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: BATTLE GROUND   State: WA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT LANDED LONG AND FAST AT THE BUZZARDS FLAT ARPT, 2009PDT. THE PILOT
  ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK SEVERAL TREES, CRASHED AND
  CAUGHT FIRE. BATTLE GROUND, WA

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   1     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   1     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   1     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: METAR KVUO 190253Z AUTO VRB 03KT 10SM CLR 26/10 A2980

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Landing      Operation: General Aviation

  Departed:                             Dep Date:    Dep. Time:     
  Destination:                          Flt Plan:              Wx Briefing: 
  Last Radio Cont: 
  Last Clearance: 

  FAA FSDO: PORTLAND, OR  (NM09)                  Entry date: 05/19/2006

FMI: www.faa.gov