Cessna T210 accident near Waxahachie, Texas, March 25, 2020
On March 25, 2020 at about 9:55 pm local time, a 1979 Cessna T210, registered N5553C, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Waxahachie, Texas (Mid-Way Rgnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The partial loss of engine power due to water and contaminants in the fuel, due to the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection, and the pilot’s decision to conduct a steep turn at low altitude to return to the runway rather than land straight ahead, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 2020 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Waxahachie, Texas · Mid-Way Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210 N, built 1979 · all T210s on the register
- Registration
- N5553C · no longer on the register · serial 21063791
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was departing on a cross-country flight; witnesses reported that the engine did not sound like it was producing full power. The pilot stated that he did not feel it was safe to land straight ahead due to the terrain. While the airplane was still at a low altitude, the pilot made a slight right turn and then a steep left downwind turn, and the airplane descended nose-down into terrain. The airplane cartwheeled, resulting in the engine separating from the fuselage and substantial damage to the left wing. Postaccident examination of the airplane found water and contaminants in the fuel divider and multiple fuel injector lines and multiple cups of water and contaminants were sumped from the header fuel tanks. A mechanic who was familiar with the airplane reported that before the accident flight, the pilot sumped a large amount of water from the fuel tanks but did not follow the mechanic’s recommendation to taxi the airplane around or to conduct an extended preflight run-up of the engine before takeoff. The airplane had been primarily stored outdoors and had only been operated 0.2 hour in the last 8 months. No other mechanical anomalies were noted with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operations. Witnesses stated there was runway ahead on the 6,500 ft runway and a clearway beyond the runway for a straight-ahead emergency landing, but the pilot said he was concerned with the creek and trees in front of him. It is likely that during the pilot’s preflight preparations, he did not detect and remove the large amounts of water and contaminants in the fuel system, which prevented the engine from operating normally and resulted in a partial loss of engine power. Further, the pilot’s decision to attempt to return to the airport by conducting a steep turn resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing
- Aircraft inspection event during prior to flight
- Fuel contamination during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 250 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,981.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 17, 2019; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 4,982 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JWY Waxahachie TX
- Destination: 8T6 George West TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 6,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 14 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from KJWY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on April 21, 2020. 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 | Witness Statements | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Engine Exam Report | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | PDF, 4 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.