Cessna 210-5 accident near East Lansing, Michigan, December 31, 1987
On December 31, 1987 at about 3:15 am local time, a Cessna 210-5, registered N1802Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near East Lansing, Michigan (East Lansing airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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 31, 1987 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- East Lansing, Michigan · East Lansing · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210-5 · all 210-5s on the register
- Registration
- N1802Z · registry record · serial 2050002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED AT NIGHT ON RUNWAY 9 WHICH IS 2530' IN LENGTH WITH A 600' DISPLACED THRESHOLD. THIS RUNWAY WAS ICE COVERED AND WINDS WERE RECORDED 25 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT AT A REPORTING FACILITY 5 NAUTICAL MILES WEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE AS 160 DEGREES AT 18 KNOTS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO STOP ON THE RUNWAY, EXITED THE DEPARTURE END, RAN ACROSS A ROAD, AND RAN INTO A DITCH.
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: 367 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 325 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 09G Mason MI at 3:00 am
- Destination: 2D8 East Lansing MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,530 ft by 180 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 160° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from LAN, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 CHI88LA038.