Cessna 210L accident near Orr, Minnesota, August 29, 1994
On August 29, 1994 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna 210L, registered N712JM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orr, Minnesota (Orr Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE FALSE INDICATION FROM THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES, AND TERRAIN CONDITION IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 1994 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Orr, Minnesota · Orr Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210L · all 210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N712JM · registry record · serial 21060432
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND WHEN HE 'NOTICED A SUDDEN DROP IN ALTITUDE.' HE ATTEMPTED TO INCREASE POWER, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, AND THE ENGINE STILL DID NOT RECOVER. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY IN A MARSHY WET LAND WITH TALL GRASS. DURING THE LANDING, THE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRPLANE SLID INTO A TREE STUMP AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS EACH REPORTED THAT BOTH FUEL GAUGES WERE INDICATING 50 POUNDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS SET TO THE LEFT TANK FEED POSITION, AND THE LEFT FUEL TANK CONTAINED ONLY THREE OUNCES OF FUEL. THE RIGHT TANK CONTAINED ONLY TWO GALLONS OF FUEL. NO FUEL SPILLAGE WAS NOTED, AND THE FUEL LINE TO THE DISTRIBUTION MANIFOLD CONTAINED NO FUEL.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,744 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EVV Evansville IN at 11:30 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from ORB, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.