Cessna T210M accident near Deerfield, Illinois, March 5, 2026
On March 5, 2026 at about 3:45 am local time, a 1976 Cessna T210M, registered N19FB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Deerfield, Illinois (Chicago Executive airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 2026 · about 3:45 am local time
- Place
- Deerfield, Illinois · Chicago Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210M, built 1976 · all T210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N19FB · registry record · serial 21061668
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On March 4, 2026, about 2145 central standard time, a Cessna T210M airplane, N19FB sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Deerfield, Illinois. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The airplane departed from an unknown location; however, the first ADS-B data for the airplane began southeast of Necedah Airport (DAF), Necedah, Wisconsin, about 2040. According to the pilot’s logbook, he had flown to DAF in the months preceding the accident. The pilot was en route to Chicago Executive Airport (PWK), Chicago, Illinois, about 150 nautical miles (nm) southeast of DAF. The flight began as a visual flight rules flight, and the pilot filed an in-flight instrument flight rules flight plan about 2049. The pilot was conducting the RNAV 16 approach to PWK when air traffic control (ATC) issued a low altitude alert about 6 nm northwest of PWK. The pilot acknowledged the low altitude alert, and the airplane climbed about 100 ft but then began to descend. ATC issued another low altitude alert, and the pilot acknowledged the alert again, and said, “I am climbing back.” ATC then alerted the pilot that he was drifting west of course, and there were no further transmissions from the pilot. The airplane impacted 50 ft tall trees and then the roof of a townhouse before coming to rest inverted into a residential backyard. The townhouse resident was sitting in the second floor bedroom at the time of the accident, and she reported that the engine was loud and operating before the airplane impacted the roof. The debris field was measured about 550 ft long and on a magnetic heading of about 050°. Multiple tree branches displayed cuts at 45° angles and a broom straw appearance. At the beginning of the debris field was the left wingtip and part of the left aileron. The debris field consisted of fragmented sections of the outboard left and right wings. The propeller assembly separated from the engine and was located in the debris field. All three propeller blades were twisted and exhibited rotational scoring. Two of the propeller blades had gouges in the leading edges. The main wreckage consisted of the fuselage, inboard portions of the wings, and the empennage. The fuel tanks, including the auxiliary tanks, were compromised, and the total fuel at the time of the accident could not be verified. First responders reported a strong smell of aviation fuel on the ground when they arrived. The fuel strainer was removed, and the strainer bowl contained fuel. The fuel selector was on the right tank. The instrument panel was crushed, and the altimeter’s barometric pressure setting in the Kollsman Window displayed 30.04 inHg. The airplane was retained for further examination.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during unknown defining event
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
The flight
- Destination: PWK Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 5,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 0.8 statute miles
- Sky: vv
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 9:39 pm from KPWK, 3 miles away
Weather report (METAR): SPECI KPWK 050339Z 07005KT 3/4SM BR VV002 03/03 A3003 RMK AO2 TWR VIS 1 T00330033=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. 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 CEN26FA132.