Cessna 210E accident near La Gygne, Kansas, July 9, 2005
On July 9, 2005 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Cessna 210E, registered N4933U, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Gygne, Kansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the throttle control cable which resulted from wear followed by fatigue cracking. A factor associated with the accident was the corn crop which the airplane contacted during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 2005 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- La Gygne, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210E · all 210Es on the register
- Registration
- N4933U · no longer on the register · serial 21058633
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was landed in a corn field following a loss of engine power while in cruise flight. The pilot reported that upon reaching 7,500 feet he was adjusting the engine to cruise power, when the engine went to idle. He reported that he pulled the throttle out, pushed it back in and got a "little power surge." He stated that there was no change in power when he adjusted the throttle a second time. The pilot reported, "I attempted a third time and it came out of the dash (about a foot)." He reported that he threaded the cable back into the instrument panel and established communications with air traffic control. The pilot was given a vector to the closest airport and upon reaching an altitude of 3,000 to 3,500 feet, realized the airport was too far away and that he needed to pick a field in which to land. The pilot stated he selected a corn field and made a "textbook" landing, but the airplane "weathervaned" shortly after touching down. The pilot stated, "I informed them [air traffic control] that the airplane looked to be in pretty good shape, not realizing the amount of damage that corn can do to sheet metal!" The throttle cable was removed from the airplane and examined at the National Transportation Safety Board's Materials Laboratory. Examination revealed that both the stranded cable and the inner spring failed as a result of wear followed by fatigue cracking. Both the brass tube end of the assembly and the inner plunger showed an area of wear. The source of the wear could not be determined.
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
- Flight time: 1,581 hours in all; 877 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,112 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2005; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K81 Gardner KS at 3:30 pm
- Destination: 2K2 Ozark MO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from IXD, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.