Cessna T210N accident near Hayesville, North Carolina, January 20, 1994
On January 20, 1994 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N6191N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hayesville, North Carolina. It was a business 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
THE FATIGUE FAILURE OF NO. 2 EXHAUST VALVE WHICH RESULTED FROM EXCESSIVE HEAT AND WEAR TO THE VALVE STEM. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 20, 1994 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Hayesville, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6191N · no longer on the register · serial 21062962
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 30 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT REPORTED A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. WHILE MANEUVERING FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO A PUBLIC ROAD, THE PILOT SPOTTED AN OPEN FIELD AND COMPLETED A FORCED LANDING. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY DISCLOSED THAT NUMBER TWO EXHAUST VALVE FAILED IN FATIGUE AT THE RADIUS BETWEEN THE VALVE STEM AND THE VALVE HEAD. THE METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED A DECREASE IN THE HARDNESS OF THE HEAD END OF THE VALVE, LOSS OF THE CHROMIUM PLATING OVER MUCH OF THE LENGTH OF THE VALVE STEM AND EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE CENTER PORTION OF THE VALVE STEM. THE VALVE STEM WAS DARKLY COLORED, NORMALLY ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES, OVER ONE HALF THE LENGTH OF THE VALVE STEM. THE PART NUMBER STAMPED ON THE EXHAUST VALUE CORRESPONDED TO AN AFTER-MARKET SUPPLIER'S NUMBER.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 886 hours in all; 294 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 785 as pilot in command; 142 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,410 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 22, 1993; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AVL Asheville NC
- Destination: 4A9 Fort Payne AL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 18°F (-8°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.