Cessna 210B accident near Culpepper, Virginia, June 11, 1994
On June 11, 1994 at about 7:25 pm local time, a Cessna 210B, registered N210M, was destroyed in an accident near Culpepper, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and loss of control of the aircraft. Contributing factors were the low ceilings and clouds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 11, 1994 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- Culpepper, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210B · all 210Bs on the register
- Registration
- N210M · registry record · serial 21058073
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had received an inflight weather briefing at 1353 advising him of light to moderate rain showers and marginal VFR conditions en route to the destination. At 1423 he contacted ARTCC and reported he was headed eastbound at 13,500 feet. About 15 minutes later he requested a slow descent to get out of the clouds. He subsequently reported descending through 8,000 feet to 'whatever it takes to get out of these clouds.' Radar service was terminated; however, the pilot subsequently radioed that he needed help and was lost, indicating that he had turned around after encountering clouds and he was now circling over two towns. ATC informed the pilot that he was below radar coverage and he needed to climb. He was later radar identified at 3600 feet and thereafter he radioed 'I'm in clouds right now you need to get me out...' At 1521, the flight was headed east at 7,000 feet when the controller advised the pilot of reported VFR conditions to the north. The pilot acknowledged and was given a north heading. ATC subsequently queried him about his heading and the pilot replied 'I'm trying.' Radar and radio contact with the flight was lost soon afterwards. Witnesses reported the airplane descended from clouds in a steep attitude. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the left wing, outboard right wing, left stabilator and elevator had separated in flight.
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N210M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. 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 BFO94FA096.