Cessna P210N accident near Huntsville, Alabama, January 3, 1988
On January 3, 1988 at about 10:35 pm local time, a Cessna P210N, registered N6438W, was destroyed in an accident near Huntsville, Alabama (Huntsville Madison CO airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- January 3, 1988 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Huntsville, Alabama · Huntsville Madison CO
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6438W · no longer on the register · serial P210N-00779
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,555 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,445 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 1987; 162 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-AF (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APF Naples FL at 6:51 pm
- Destination: HSV Nashville TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:36 pm from HSV, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.