Cessna 210M accident near Cheyenne, Wyoming, March 15, 1982
On March 15, 1982 at about 3:05 am local time, a Cessna 210M, registered N9WF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cheyenne, Wyoming (Cheyenne Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 1982 · about 3:05 am local time
- Place
- Cheyenne, Wyoming · Cheyenne Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210M · all 210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9WF · no longer on the register · serial 21061853
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT INITIATED HIS TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 12 FROM AN INTERSECTION WITH RUNWAY 16. FROM THIS INTERSECTION, THERE WAS 2175 FT OR RUNWAY REMAINING. DURING THE TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE ROOF OF A GARAGE ABOUT 360 FT FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN STRUCK A POWER POLE, POWER LINES, TELEPHONE LINES, A HOUSE TOP AND A PICKUP TRUCK. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT, MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. THE PILOT HAD NOT CALCULATED HIS TAKEOFF ROLL BEFORE STARTING HIS DEPARTURE AND HAD NOT USED A SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF PROCEDURE. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 6700 FT. FOR THE ALTITUDE AND WEATHER CONDITIONS, AN ESTIMATE GROUND ROLL TO CLEAR A 10 FT OBSTACLE WAS ABOUT 2241 FT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 570 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 440 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,082 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Cheyenne WY at 8:05 pm
- Destination: Devils Lake ND
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 108°F (42°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from DVR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.