Cessna P210N accident near Mineral Point, Wisconsin, July 29, 1992
On July 29, 1992 at about 7:33 pm local time, a Cessna P210N, registered N6503W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mineral Point, Wisconsin (Iowa County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT STALL AND DESCENT INTO TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDING. RELATED FACTORS ARE THE MANUFACTURER'S UNDERTORQUED CRANKCASE HALVES AND INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE, THE PILOT'S DELAY IN SETTING UP THE PROPER DESCENT RATE, AND THE ALTERED AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE WITH THE SEPARATED PROPELLER ASSEMBLY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 1992 · about 7:33 pm local time
- Place
- Mineral Point, Wisconsin · Iowa County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6503W · no longer on the register · serial P21000789
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. ATC ISSUED VECTORS TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT, WHICH WAS ABOUT TEN MILES AWAY. THE PILOT THEN ADVISED ATC HE LOST THE PROPELLER. ABOUT 3 MINUTES AFTER THE EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED, THE PILOT REPORTED 'I HAVE THE FIELD....DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO MAKE IT.' THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN ABOUT 1.5 MILES EAST OF THE AIRPORT. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE CRANKSHAFT WAS SEPARATED IN TWO LOCATIONS AND THE NO. 2 MAIN BEARING HAD SHIFTED IN THE JOURNAL. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED ONE FRACTURE WAS DETERMINED TO BE DUE TO OVERSTRESS AND EXCESSIVE TORSIONAL LOADS. THE OTHER FRACTURE '...CONTAINED A WELL DEFINED CRACK ARREST PATTERN INDICATIVE OF A HIGH CYCLE FATIGUE CRACK. EXAMINATION OF THE CRANKCASE HALVES REVEALED EVIDENCE OF FRETTING AT THE MATING SURFACES.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,139 hours in all; 65 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 869 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,465 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1992; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,016 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-AF (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jeanal Enterprises, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: DSM Des Moines IA at 6:15 pm
- Destination: OSH Oshkosh WI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from LNR, 25 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.