Cessna 210L accident near Buford, Georgia, November 17, 1986
On November 17, 1986 at about 9:40 am local time, a Cessna 210L, registered N2192S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Buford, Georgia (Dekalb-Peachtree airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- November 17, 1986 · about 9:40 am local time
- Place
- Buford, Georgia · Dekalb-Peachtree · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210L · all 210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N2192S · registry record · serial 21061153
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, CYLINDERS HAD RECENTLY BEEN REPLACED ON THE ENG & PLTS HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO OPERATE THE ENG AT 75% POWER WITH THE MIXTURE RICHER THAN NORMAL DURING A BREAK-IN PERIOD. ON THIS FLT, THE PLT TOOK OFF WITH A FULL LOAD OF FUEL. AS HE APCHD THE VICINITY OF ATHENS, GA, HE INFORMED ARTCC THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO DIVERT DUE TO LOW FUEL; HOWEVER, THE CLOSEST ARPT WAS BELOW MINS. THE NEXT CLOSEST ARPT WAS HIS DESTINATION. WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR AN ILS APCH, THE ENG LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. DURING A FORCED LANDING, THE ACFT HIT TREES, THEN CRASHED TO THE GROUND. THERE WAS MINIMAL COMPROMISE OF THE CABIN AREA DURING THE ACDNT; HOWEVER, BOTH OCCUPANTS DIED SOON AFTER THE ACFT CRASHED. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT BOTH OCCUPANTS HIT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DURING IMPACT. THE PLT HAD BRUISES WHICH WERE CONSISTENT WITH THE USE OF SHOULDER HARNESS, BUT THE PASSENGER HAD NO SUCH BRUISES.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 474 hours in all; 69 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 271 as pilot in command; 13 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,400 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 9, 1986; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 4:51 am
- Destination: PDK Chamblee GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 20L, 5,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Observation at 9:49 am from ATL, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.