Cessna P210N accident near Pleasanton, Texas, November 13, 2016
On November 13, 2016, a 1979 Cessna P210N, registered N44C, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Pleasanton, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Maintenance personnel's improper installation of the throttle linkage attachment hardware, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power when the hardware separated in flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 13, 2016
- Place
- Pleasanton, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N, built 1979 · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N44C · registry record · serial P21000311
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot reported that, about 20 minutes into the cross-country flight, the engine suddenly experienced a partial loss of power. The pilot attempted to restore engine power but was not successful. During the subsequent forced landing to a road, the airplane struck a car, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. Examination of the airplane revealed that the hardware that attached the throttle linkage to the engine was not present. Given that the airplane had flown for only a few hours following recent maintenance, it is likely that maintenance personnel did not properly secure the throttle linkage hardware during that maintenance. No other anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operations.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › Power lever › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,519.6 hours in all; 326.7 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,453.3 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 7, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,135.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 9, 2016; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-520 P (piston); 3,143 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HDO Hondo TX at 11:40 pm
- Destination: RAS Port Aransas TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from KPEZ, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N44C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.