Cessna P-210N accident near Belle Plaine, Minnesota, April 12, 1995
On April 12, 1995 at about 2:58 pm local time, a Cessna P-210N, registered N4738A, was destroyed in an accident near Belle Plaine, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure to replace the deteriorated deicing boots, and the failure of the boots to operate when the airplane encountered icing condition. An additional causes were the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and the excessive pullup performed by the pilot during the uncontrolled descent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 12, 1995 · about 2:58 pm local time
- Place
- Belle Plaine, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P-210N · all P-210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4738A · no longer on the register · serial P2100820
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY DURING INITIAL CLIMBOUT IN ICING CONDITIONS. NO OTHER TRANSMISSIONS WERE RECEIVED AND THE AIRPLANE WAS LOST FROM ARTCC RADAR AT 7300 FEET MSL. THE LEFT WING AND BOTH HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS SEPARATED IN FLIGHT, EXHIBITING PERMANENT DEFORMATION SUPPORTING POSITIVE OVERLOAD (STABILIZERS DEFLECTED DOWN, MAIN WINGS DEFLECTED UP). ALL THREE EMPENNAGE DEICE BOOTS WERE FOUND TO HAVE NUMEROUS PATCHES, WHICH WOULD NOT HOLD NORMAL SYSTEM PRESSURE. THE SYSTEM REQUIRED THE EMPENNAGE TO HOLD PRESSURE BEFORE IT WOULD CYCLE TO THE MAIN WINGS. REPLACEMENT OF THE BOOTS HAD BEEN RECOMMENDED TO THE OWNERS 3 MONTHS PRIOR. WITNESSES WHO ARRIVED ON SCENE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACCIDENT DESCRIBED ICE ON THE WINGS AND BOOTS.
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: 438 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,985 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1995; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FCM Eden Prairie MN at 2:44 pm
- Destination: BJC Jefferson Cnty CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from MSP, 29 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.
Other NTSB records under N4738A the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.