Cessna T210NII accident near Sterling, Colorado, October 28, 1985
On October 28, 1985, a Cessna T210NII, registered N1728U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sterling, Colorado (Crosson Fld airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- October 28, 1985
- Place
- Sterling, Colorado · Crosson Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210NII · all T210NIIs on the register
- Registration
- N1728U · no longer on the register · serial 64744
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT INDICATED HE HAD THE ARPT IN SITE WHEN THE ENG FAILED DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE INVESTIGATION REVEA LED THE ENG TACH SHOWED A TOTAL LAPSED TIME OF 4.9 HRS FLOWN ON THIS ONE FUEL LOAD. THE PERFOMANCE CHARTS FOR THIS PARTICULAR FLT INDICATES A MAX FLT TIME OF BETWEEN 4.45 HRS AND 4.8 HRS. THE PLT INDICATED HE SHOULD HAVE ADDED FUEL TO PREVENT THE ACCIDENT FROM HAPPENING.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,250 hours in all; 577 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 2,140 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 325 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sterling Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: 3V5 Fort Collins CO
- Destination: STK Sterling CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 28 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N1728U 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.