Cessna P210 accident near Kansas City, Missouri, April 25, 1991
On April 25, 1991 at about 9:25 pm local time, a Cessna P210, registered N65M, was destroyed in an accident near Kansas City, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S INTENTIONAL FLIGHT WITH KNOWN MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES IN THE AIRCRAFT WHICH RESULTED IN A FIRE & FORCED LANDING IN UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS IMPROPER MAINTENANCE TO THE TURBOCHARGER WASTE GATE BY OTHER MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 1991 · about 9:25 pm local time
- Place
- Kansas City, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210 · all P210s on the register
- Registration
- N65M · registry record · serial 2106687
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY OPERATED WITH THE TURBOCHARGER INOPERATIVE. WHEN THE PILOT SUSPECTED ANOTHER TURBOCHARGER PROBLEM HE INTENTIONALLY INITIATED A FLIGHT FOR THE PURPOSE OF HAVING MAINTENANCE DONE ON THE AIRCRAFT. AN IN FLIGHT FIRE ENSUED WHICH LOCALIZED IN THE WASTE GATE AREA. WHEN THE PILOT BECAME AWARE OF THE FIRE HE ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT TWO BOLTS WERE MISSING FROM THE WASTE GATE TO THE EXHAUST PIPE CONNECTION WHERE A FRACTURE OCCURED. HOT EXHAUST GASES IMPINGED ON THE NOSE WHEEL WELL WHERE FIRE PENETRATED THE WHEEL WELL AND EVENTUALLY BECAME FED BY PRESSURIZED HYDRAULIC FLUID.
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
What happened, in order
- AIRFRAME/COMPONENT/SYSTEM FAILURE/MALFUNCTION during standing - pre-flight
- FIRE during cruise
- FORCED LANDING during descent - emergency
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER during maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency)
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, APLN, none
- Flight time: 2,443 hours in all
- Medical certificate: class 3
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-P (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cavu, INC.
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: MKC MO at 9:18 pm
- Destination: BUM Butler MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,200 ft; not recorded at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 0°C, dew point 0°C
- Observation at 9:30 pm from MKC, 6 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 CHI91FA140.