Cessna 210 accident near Jesup, Georgia, March 9, 2006
On March 9, 2006 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna 210, registered N6540X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jesup, Georgia (Jesup-Wayne County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to the fatigue failure of the crankshaft, which resulted in a forced landing, and an in-flight collision with trees. A factor associated with the accident was the failure of other maintenance personnel to comply with the engine manufacturer's service bulletin following a previous mishap.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 9, 2006 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Jesup, Georgia · Jesup-Wayne County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210 · all 210s on the register
- Registration
- N6540X · no longer on the register · serial 57540
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed the Malcolm Mc Kinnon Airport (SSI), on an instrument cross-country flight to Peachtree DeKalb Airport. He leveled off at 6,000 feet, and noticed that the engine analyzer No. 2 cylinder light began to flicker, and shortly thereafter the low voltage light illuminated. The pilot contacted air traffic control personnel (ATC), and requested to return to SSI. After the request was made to return to SSI, the engine began to shake violently while making a loud "banging" noise and the propeller stopped. The pilot informed ATC of the emergency, and requested to divert to the nearest airport. ATC diverted the pilot to the Jesup-Wayne County Airport (JES). The pilot stated that he was unable to maintain altitude and crashed into a stand of trees 2 miles southeast of JES. The crankshaft was removed from the engine and sent to the National Transportation Safety Board, Office of Research and Engineering Materials Laboratory Division for further examination. Examination disclosed that the crankshaft was broken due to fatigue through the crank cheek between the No. 1 and No. 2 connecting rod journals. Review of the airplane logbooks revealed that on November 20, 1989, a gear up landing occurred. The propeller was removed and the crankshaft was run-out and found to be .0006 out of round. According to the Service Bulletin M84-16, which was in place at the time of the mishap, if any damage greater than "minor dressing of the propeller tips to correct the problem" occurs, a complete teardown must be performed. A teardown was not performed, and a serviceable propeller was reinstalled and the airplane returned to service. The logbooks revealed there were approximately 750 flight hours on the crankshaft before it failed.
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, sport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,100 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 7,350 as pilot in command; 1,300 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,156 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2005; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SSI Brunswick GA at 9:59 pm
- Destination: PDK Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KSSI, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.