Cessna 210L accident near Muncie, Indiana, April 7, 1985
On April 7, 1985 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 210L, registered N35592, was destroyed in an accident near Muncie, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1985 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Muncie, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210L · all 210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N35592 · no longer on the register · serial 21060001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT TOOK OFF AT 1125 EST AFTER RECEIVING A WX BRIEFING. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE FORECAST WX FOR THE DESTN BCM WORSE & A SIGMET (1E) WAS ISSUED. AT 1444, THE PLT CONTACTED FT WAYNE FSS & HAD HIS VFR FLT PLAN EXTNDD 1 HR. HE NEITHER REQUESTEDNOR RECEIVED UPDATED WX INFO, WHICH INCLUDED FLT PRECAUTIONS FOR ICING, TURBC & THUNDERSTORMS. AT APRX 1500, BFR IMPACT,THE ACFT WAS SEEN COMING OUT OF A SNOW STORM IN AN UNCONTROLLED DSCNT. THE WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVR AN AREA APRX 1-1/2MI LONG. AN EXAM REVEALED THE L WING, L HORIZONTAL STABILIZER & RUDDER HAD SEPARATED FROM OVERLOAD FAILURE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE L WING HAD FAILED UPWARD & STRUCK THE EMPENNAGE DRG SEPN. NO PRE-ACDNT FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FND. ACCORD-ING TO AVAILABLE WX INFO, CLD BASES AT THE ACDNT SITE WERE 2000' MSL (APRX 1100' AGL), TOPS AT 10,000' MSL, VIS ZERO IN CLDS & GREATER THAN 3 MI BELOW CLDS IN SNW SHWRS, FRZG LVL NEAR 3000', MOD TO SVR TURBC BELOW 4000', MOD TO SVR ICING ININ CLDS & IN PRECIP ABOVE THE FRZG LVL.
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: 590 hours in all; 221 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,653 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 19, 1984; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TIO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MCN Macon GA at 3:50 pm
- Destination: GSH Goshen IN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 25 knots, gusting 38
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from MIE, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.