Cessna 210N accident near Petersburg, Virginia, August 2, 1991
On August 2, 1991 at about 2:06 pm local time, a Cessna 210N, registered N2112S, was destroyed in an accident near Petersburg, Virginia (Petersburg Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PRE-TAKEOFF CHECK AND HIS FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE OF THE ENGINE WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 1991 · about 2:06 pm local time
- Place
- Petersburg, Virginia · Petersburg Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210N · all 210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N2112S · registry record
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS ON TAKEOFF ROLL AND WITNESSES REPORTED IT WAS NEAR THE END OF THE 3060 FOOT RUNWAY, WHEN IT LIFTED OFF. ACCORDING TO THE WITNESSES, THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED SLOWLY AND STRUCK TREES ABOUT 2000 FEET PAST THE END OF THE RUNWAY. A WITNESS WHO ARRIVED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE SHORTLY AFTER THE CRASH ENCOUNTERED THE PILOT WHO ASKED HIM TO TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF. THE WITNESS NOTICED THE SWITCH WAS SET AT THE LEFT MAGNETO POSITION. THE PILOT HAD NO RECOLLECTION OF THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT. THE INVESTIGATION INCLUDED AN OPERATIONAL TEST OF THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT EXCEED 2400 RPM ON BOTH MAGNETOS, AND NO MORE THAN 2100 RPM ON THE ONE MAGNETO. A CHECK OF THE ENGINE TO MAGNETO TIMING REVEALED THE MAGNETOS WERE TIMED ABOUT 10 DEGREES OUTSIDE THE SPECIFIED TIMING PARAMETERS. THE ENGINE WAS RETIMED TO SPECIFICATION AND IT WAS OPERATED TO 2500 RPM ON BOTH MAGNETOS, 2400 RPM ON ONE MAGNETO.
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: 1,300 hours in all; 1,018 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1990; 182 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTB at 2:06 pm
- Destination: ISM Kissimmee FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,060 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 pm from RIC, 999 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.