Cessna 210G accident near Indianapolis, Indiana, November 22, 1990
On November 22, 1990 at about 4:17 am local time, a Cessna 210G, registered N5819F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Indianapolis, Indiana (Indianapolis Intl. airport). 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
INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE RESULTING IN AN ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO WATER AND FUEL CONTAMINATION. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 1990 · about 4:17 am local time
- Place
- Indianapolis, Indiana · Indianapolis Intl. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210G · all 210Gs on the register
- Registration
- N5819F · no longer on the register · serial 21558819
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT INDIANAPOLIS DUE TO A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. A MECHANIC ATTEMPTED TO FIND THE PROBLEM, CLEANED THE PLUGS AND ADDED HYDRAULIC FLUID TO THE AIRPLANE. THE ENGINE ROUGHNESS COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED DURING FURTHER RUNUPS. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENGINE AGAIN RAN ROUGH AND THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT SUSTAIN ALTITUDE. THE PILOT RETURNED TO INDIANAPOLIS AND THE AIRPLANE LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AFTER CONTACTING POWERLINES, TREES AND A FENCE. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE FUEL METERING VALVE SCREEN WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY BLOCKED BY FOREIGN MATERIAL, AND THE FUEL DISTRIBUTOR VALVE WAS ALMOST FULL OF WATER.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 975 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 820 as pilot in command; 105 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,947 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 9, 1990; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 1M8 Hopkinsville KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 am from IND, 2 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.