Cessna 210L accident near Tallahassee, Florida, October 7, 2003
On October 7, 2003 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Cessna 210L, registered N59063, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tallahassee, Florida (Tallahassee Regional airport). It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Loss of engine power due to crankshaft counterweight failure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 2003 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Tallahassee, Florida · Tallahassee Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210L · all 210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N59063 · no longer on the register · serial 210-60062
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, while in cruise flight at 10,000 feet agl, the engine lost power. The pilot made a wheels up forced landing into a field. Maintenance history revealed that the engine had a propeller strike on February 19, 2003. The engine was removed from the airplane and sent to Certified Engines Unlimited, for special inspection. The engine had a total time since major overhaul (TTSMOH) of 509.2 hours. On March 21, 2003, the engine was reinstalled on the airplane and returned to service. On May 13, 2003, the engine was removed and sent to Certified Engines Unlimited, due to a crankshaft counterweight failure TTSMOH 535.1 hours. The counterweights were replaced and the engine was reinstalled on the airplane June 12, 2003. On October 7, 2003 while in cruise flight the airplane had a catastrophic engine failure TTSMOH 734.1 hours. Examination of the engine at TCM found the crankshaft fractured through the number one connecting rod journal forward fillet radius and upper counterweight hanger blade. The rear upper crankshaft counterweight was detached from its hanger blade. One plate and snap-ring was forced from their locations on each side of the counterweight by mechanical action of the pins. The counterweight plates of this counterweight were bowed outward in relationship to their installed positions. One of the snap-rings was fractured in two pieces and both snap-rings that were not in place exhibited signatures of being forced from their retaining grooves in the counterweight. The remaining rear counterweight exhibited sever mechanical damage and was intact on the hanger blade. The forward set of counterweights, pins, plates and snap-rings were intact and undamaged and had free and unrestricted movement on the hanger blades.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,751 hours in all; 533 in this make and model; 59 in the last 90 days; 2,303 as pilot in command; 1,032 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 22, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,985 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 29, 2003; 5.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NIP Jacksonville FL at 12:00 pm
- Destination: BHM Birmingham AL
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,800 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 12:52 pm from TLH, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.