Cessna 210A accident near Columbia, South Carolina, December 4, 1983
On December 4, 1983 at about 7:05 pm local time, a Cessna 210A, registered N9491X, was destroyed in an accident near Columbia, South Carolina (Owens Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 4, 1983 · about 7:05 pm local time
- Place
- Columbia, South Carolina · Owens Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210A · all 210As on the register
- Registration
- N9491X · no longer on the register · serial 21057791
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A WALL DURING A DOWNWIND FORCED LANDING. THE ENGINE HAD QUIT AT 200 FT AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PLT TURNED RIGHT WITH THE GEAR UP. HE LANDED ON A FOOTBALL FIELD AND BOUNCED DOWN A TRACK FIELD INTO A FENCE AND WALL. WHEN THE ENGINE WAS EXAMINED A FUEL HOSE THAT CONNECTED THE PUMP TO THE CONTROL WAS FOUND SEPARATED. THE ENTIRE HOSE WAS BADLY DETERIORATED AND BRITTLE. IT BROKE IN 2 MORE PLACES WHILE BEING LOOSENED. OTHERWISE THE ENGINE APPEARED CAPABLE OFNORMAL OPERATION. THERE WAS FUEL ABOARD THE ACFT. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND BETWEEN POSITIONS AND THE PLT CONFIRMED MOVING IT IN TRYING TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE FUEL CONTROL FINGER SCREEN HAD LINT OVER ABOUT 20-25 PERCENT OF ITS SURFACE. IT ALSO HAD AN UNAUTHORIZED AND DETERIORATED 'O' RING IN PLACE OF A GASKET.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,457 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 6, 1983; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental I0-470-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Columbia SC at 2:03 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 16 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:49 pm from CAE, 7 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.