Cessna 210D accident near Jerseyville, Illinois, December 10, 1989
On December 10, 1989 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 210D, registered N3955Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jerseyville, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH UNEVEN TERRAIN IN THE FORCED LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 1989 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Jerseyville, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210D · all 210Ds on the register
- Registration
- N3955Y · no longer on the register · serial 21058455
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE TO A PLOWED FIELD. THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE LANDING AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. NO MECHANICAL DEFECTS WERE DISCOVERED DURING A POST ACCIDENT TEARDOWN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE.
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: 382 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 306 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,769 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 5, 1989; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3LF Litchfield IL at 9:45 pm
- Destination: Jerseyville IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from ALN, 17 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.