Cessna 210B accident near Lordsburg, New Mexico, January 2, 1985
On January 2, 1985 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Cessna 210B, registered N101PQ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lordsburg, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people had minor injuries. 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
- January 2, 1985 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Lordsburg, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210B · all 210Bs on the register
- Registration
- N101PQ · registry record · serial 21057932
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT STATED THAT DURING THE FLT THE RT FUEL TANK WAS USED UNTIL EMPTY AT WHICH TIME THE LEFT TANK WAS SELECTED. APRX 20 MINUTES AFTER SWITCHING TANKS AND 2 HRS 35 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE, THE ENGINE BACKFIRED AND SUBSEQUENTLY QUIT. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE DURING WHICH TIME ACFT NOSED DOWN AFTER CONTACTING A SAND DOME. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT DURING THE 4 MONTHS WHICH THE PLT OWNED THE ACFT HE HAD TO HAVE THE FUEL SYSTEM CLEANED TWICE BECAUSE OF SEDIMENT. INSPECTION OF THE ACFT DISCLOSED SEDIMENT IN THE FUEL PUMPS AND SADDLE TANKS. THE SEDIMENT WAS CLEANED OUT AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RUN LONGER THEN APRX 2 MINUTES ON EITHER TANK. THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS THOROUGHLY CHECKED AND THE ONLY DISCREPANCY NOTED WAS EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE.
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
- Flight time: 565 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 491 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,266 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 7, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Rialto CA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: Carlsbad NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 80 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from DEM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.