Cessna T210 accident near Marion, Indiana, June 1, 1985
On June 1, 1985 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna T210, registered N6787R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marion, Indiana (Marion airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- June 1, 1985 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Marion, Indiana · Marion · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210 · all T210s on the register
- Registration
- N6787R · registry record · serial 140262-6-C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT DISCOVERED THAT THE ELEVATOR CONTROLS WERE JAMMED & PITCH CHANGES COULD ONLY BE MADE WITH ELEVATOR TRIM & POWER. AN EMERG LANDING WAS MADE USING THE TRIM, BUT THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO FLARE THE ACFT AT LANDING SPEED. THE ACFT STRUCK THE RWY WITH THE NOSE GEAR, BREAKING THE NOSE GEAR OFF. A POST-ACCIDENT EXAM REVEALED THAT AN AUTOPILOT ADAPTER FLANGE (RECENTLY INSTALLED TO THE BACK OF THE PILOT'S ATTITUDE INDICATOR) WAS IN A POSITION TO CATCH THE ELEVATOR SECONDARY STOP ON THE PILOT'S CONTROL COLUMN. THE ELEVATOR CONTROL COULD HAVE BEEN FORCIBLY FREED, BUT IT WOULD HAVE REQUIRED A LARGE FORCE TO DO SO.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,175 hours in all; 303 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 1,055 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 15, 1985; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UWL New Castle IN at 3:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from MIE, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.