Cessna P210N accident near West Memphis, Arkansas, October 15, 2014
On October 15, 2014 at about 10:25 pm local time, a 1980 Cessna P210N, registered N731QV, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near West Memphis, Arkansas (West Memphis Muni 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
A catastrophic engine failure due to an oil starvation event for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 2014 · about 10:25 pm local time
- Place
- West Memphis, Arkansas · West Memphis Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N N, built 1980 · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N731QV · no longer on the register · serial P21000534
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after takeoff, the manifold pressure dropped. The private pilot then turned the airplane back to the airport. He saw smoke coming from under the engine cowl, and the engine stopped producing power while the airplane was on short final and about 800 ft above ground level. The airplane impacted power lines before landing in a grassy area short of the runway. Holes were observed in the top of the engine crankcase. Disassembly of the engine revealed all the crankshaft's connecting rod journals and connecting rods displayed signs of thermal distress and discoloration associated with engine operation without sufficient oil. All six cylinder bays exhibited mechanical damage consistent with an oil starvation event. The engine and component examinations did not identify any anomalies that would have precipitated an oil starvation event and subsequent engine failure. The No. 2 piston was fractured into numerous pieces. The area adjacent to the broken connecting rod displayed surface coloration and oxide formation consistent with exposure to very high temperatures. The engine had experienced a previous "hydraulic lock" event about 1 1/2 years before the accident, but it could not be determined if damage sustained during that event caused the catastrophic failure of the No. 2 piston.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 18, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,196 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 5, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 4,001 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER (piston); 300 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AWM West Memphis AR
- Destination: AWM West Memphis AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 6,003 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KAWM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
9 documents, released by the NTSB on December 21, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report 15-055 | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 Engine | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Non-volatile Memory Data- EDM Factual Report | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Non-volatile Memory Data - EDM Data | data file | Download |
| 8 | Record of Conversation with Pilot/owner | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | Photographs of Accident Site and Airplane Logbook Excerpt | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.