Cessna T210N accident near Sterling, Virginia, January 24, 1988
On January 24, 1988 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N5350A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sterling, Virginia (Dulles Intl airport). It was an instructional 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 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 24, 1988 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Sterling, Virginia · Dulles Intl
- 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
- N5350A · no longer on the register · serial 21063383
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABT 2.7 HRS AFTER TAKEOFF, THE STUDENT PLT & INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WERE PRACTICING INSTRUMENT APCHS WHEN THE ENG LOST PWR. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT & MADE A FORCED LNDG, BUT THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED ON ROUGH TERRAIN. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE RIGHT & LEFT TANKS HAD ABOUT 0.5 & 30 GAL OF FUEL, RESPECTIVELY. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT TANK POSITION. THE ACFT HAD BEEN FLOWN ABOUT 4.3 HRS SINCE IT WAS LAST REFUELED & THE RIGHT TANK HAD BEEN USED FOR ABOUT 3.5 HRS OF THAT TIME. ALSO, THE RGT TANK HAD BEEN USED FOR THE ENTIRE TIME OF THE ACDNT FLT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,338 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 4,871 as pilot in command; 4,479 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,311 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 1987; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Armel Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: IAD at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19L, 11,500 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from DUL, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.