Cessna 210 accident near Coaldale, Colorado, July 18, 1987
On July 18, 1987 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Cessna 210, registered N7444E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Coaldale, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- July 18, 1987 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Coaldale, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210 · all 210s on the register
- Registration
- N7444E · no longer on the register · serial 57144
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ATP RATED PILOT WAS AN AIRLINE CAPTAIN ON A BOEING 727 AIRCRAFT. HOWEVER, THE PILOT HAD ACCUMULATED A TOTAL OF ONLY 140 HOURS IN SINGLE ENGINE AIRCRAFT WITH 20 HOURS IN THE CESSNA 210. MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE HAD BEEN FORECAST AND REPORTED IN THE ACCIDENT AREA. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT DESCEND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE WITH A PORTION OF THE LEFT WING MISSING. A 5-FOOT SECTION OF THE LEFT WING WAS FOUND ONE-HALF MILE FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. POSTCRASH EXAMINATION REVEALED EVIDENCE INDICATIVE OF AERODYNAMIC OVERLOAD; HOWEVER, NO EVIDENCE EXISTED OF PRE-EXISTING FATIGUE OR CORROSION.
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: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,970 hours in all; 20 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,970 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 1987; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 30 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.