Cessna T210M accident near Highland, Michigan, December 4, 1985
On December 4, 1985 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna T210M, registered N1982M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Highland, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- December 4, 1985 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Highland, Michigan
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210M · all T210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N1982M · no longer on the register · serial 21061970
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FIFTEEN MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF AN ENG FAILURE OCCURRED. THE PLT FORCE LANDED THE ACFT IN A FLD BUT THE ROUGHNESS OF THE LANDING SURFACE RESULTED IN THE NOSE AND RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THE EXHAUST VAVLE HAD FAILED IN THE #4 CYLINDER. THE VAVLE GUIDES WERE FOUND TO BE EXTREMELY WORN IN ALL THE CYLINDERS. ACCORDING TO THE ENG LOGBOOK ALL THE VALVE GUIDES WERE REPLACED DURING A TOP OVERHAUL THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED 137 ENG OPERATING HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: 750 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,722 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, February 7, 1985; 137 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9G2 Linden MI at 6:45 pm
- Destination: PTK Pontiac MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N1982M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.