Cessna T210N accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, May 17, 1988
On May 17, 1988 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N5402Y, was destroyed in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Coronado airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were 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
- May 17, 1988 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Coronado
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5402Y · no longer on the register · serial 21064196
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,146 hours in all; 1,146 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 693 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 748 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 13, 1987; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: W. S. Brown, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: CNM Carlsbad NM at 10:00 pm
- Destination: 4AC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 17 knots, gusting 37
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from ABQ, 6 miles away
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.