Cessna 210A accident near Varnville, South Carolina, August 10, 1994
On August 10, 1994 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 210A, registered N6601X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Varnville, South Carolina. It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
WATER CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL THAT RESULTED FROM INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE. A FACTOR WAS THE ROUGH TERRAIN AT THE LANDING SITE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 1994 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Varnville, South Carolina
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210A · all 210As on the register
- Registration
- N6601X · registry record · serial 21057601
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF FOLLOWING A TOUCH AND GO LANDING, THE ENGINE QUIT. WATER CONTAMINATION WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL SYSTEM, AND THE ENGINE EXHIBITED SIGNS OF WATER INJECTION. BOTH FUEL BLADDERS HAD WRINKLES IN THE BOTTOM, UP TO 1/2' HIGH, WHICH TRAPPED WATER. AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE (AD) 84-10-01-R1, WHICH DEALS WITH WATER CONTAMINATION OF FUEL SYSTEMS, WAS APPLICABLE TO THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS HAD SEVERAL ANNUAL INSPECTIONS RECORDED THAT APPROVED THE AIRPLANE FOR RETURN TO SERVICE, FOLLOWING THE INSPECTIONS. THE LATEST INSPECTION WAS DATED 03/10/94. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WERE ENTRIES THAT INDICATED THAT THE AD HAD BEEN COMPLIED WITH BY INSPECTION. FUEL QUICK DRAINS HAD BEEN INSTALLED, AT THE INITIAL COMPLIANCE OF THE AD, IN MAY 1985.
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: 487 hours in all; 74 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 369 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3J0 at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from CHS, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL94LA155.