Cessna 210J accident near Bellefontaine, Ohio, November 19, 1995
On November 19, 1995 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 210J, registered N3328S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bellefontaine, Ohio (Bellefontaine airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT UNKNOWNLY LEFT THE IGNITION SWITCH IN RIGHT MAGNETO-ONLY POSITION, WHILE MOVING THE PROPELLER BY HAND, WHICH ALLOWED AN INADVERTENT START OF THE ENGINE. THE WEAK BATTERY WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 19, 1995 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bellefontaine, Ohio · Bellefontaine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210J · all 210Js on the register
- Registration
- N3328S · no longer on the register · serial 21059128
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT TRIED TO START THE AIRPLANE ENGINE 4 OR 5 TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS. HE REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE'S BATTERY WAS WEAK DUE TO INFREQUENT USE, AND HE DECIDED TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION AND ROTATE THE PROPELLER THROUGH BY HAND. ALSO, HE STATED THAT HE WAS SURPRISED WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED AS HE ROTATED THE PROPELLER BY HAND. THE AIRPLANE MOVED ACROSS THE RAMP AND COLLIDED WITH A PARKED AIRPLANE AND A HANGAR. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE KEY WAS STILL IN THE IGNITION, AND THE IGNITION WAS IN THE RIGHT MAGNETO-ONLY POSITION. NO AIRCRAFT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION/ANOMALY WAS FOUND.
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: 419 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 317 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,184 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 27, 1995
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7I7
- Destination: DAY Dayton OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.