Cessna T210L accident near Lawton, Michigan, December 6, 1986
On December 6, 1986 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna T210L, registered N999WF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lawton, Michigan (Cornish airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 1986 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lawton, Michigan · Cornish · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210L · all T210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N999WF · registry record · serial 21061032
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF CONTROL SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF WHICH RESULTED IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND WITH ITS LEFT WINGTIP CAUSING IT TO FLIP OVER ONTO ITS SIDE. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE AUTO-PLT HAD BEEN WORKED ON AFTER HAVING EXPERIENCED AUTO-PLT RUNAWAYS DURING PREVIOUS FLTS. THE AUTO-PLT WAS BENCH TESTED AFTER THIS ACCIDENT AND IT FUNCTIONED NORMALLY.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 746 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 64 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 746 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,185 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 4, 1986; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 H (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CORN Lawton MI at 9:28 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,200 ft by 95 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from AZO, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI87DEM05.