Cessna 210N accident near Blacksburg, Virginia, March 10, 1986
On March 10, 1986 at about 7:55 pm local time, a Cessna 210N, registered N6502C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blacksburg, Virginia (Blacksburg airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- March 10, 1986 · about 7:55 pm local time
- Place
- Blacksburg, Virginia · Blacksburg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210N · all 210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6502C · registry record · serial 21063904
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LANDING AT BLACKSBURG AIRPORT IN BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA, THE LANDING GEAR FAILED TO EXTEND. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A RUNWAY LIGHT AND SERVED OFF THE RUNWAY ONTO A GRASS AREA CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT STABILIZER AND ELEVATOR. THE PILOT STATED TO REECE H. MITCHELL OF THE RICHMOND FSDO (21) THAT HE LANDED BEFORE THE GEAR WAS FULLY EXTENDED AND LOCKED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,610 hours in all; 136 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,956 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1985; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Bluefield WV at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 4,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 4,500 ft; not recorded at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.