Cessna T210F accident near Indianola, Iowa, December 28, 1999
On December 28, 1999 at about 5:16 pm local time, a Cessna T210F, registered N6144R, was destroyed in an accident near Indianola, Iowa. 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
loss of engine power for undetermined reason. A factor relating to this accident was the tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 1999 · about 5:16 pm local time
- Place
- Indianola, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210F · all T210Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6144R · no longer on the register · serial T210-0044
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said, 'As I passed through 6,000 feet, I experienced severe engine knock and a gradual loss of power.' The pilot adjusted the mixture. 'However, adjusting the mixture either way resulted in additional loss of power and did not solve the engine knock. I set the mixture to the best setting I could find.' The pilot declared an emergency with Des Moines Departure Control. The pilot said, 'Des Moines recommended that I proceed to the Indianola Airport, so I turned on heading and attempted to maintain a glide speed of 85 miles per hour. Despite clock headings given to me by Des Moines, I still did not have Indianola Airport in sight. The only field I thought I could make was slightly ahead of me, and it had trees on the touch down end of the field.' The pilot said he turned toward the field, lowered the landing gear, and lowered 'some flaps.' The pilot said, 'As I turned on course for the field, I realized my rate of descent was too high and that I did not have enough airspeed to pull up over the trees while banking. At that point, I struck the tree.' The airplane's engine was later successfully run at Teledyne Continental Motors.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 244 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 184 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 843 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 2, 1999; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DSM Des Moines IA at 5:03 pm
- Destination: T41 La Porte TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 17 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from DSM, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.