Cessna T210M accident near Clovis, New Mexico, October 7, 1988
On October 7, 1988 at about 12:25 pm local time, a Cessna T210M, registered N732QP, was destroyed in an accident near Clovis, New Mexico (Clovis Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 7, 1988 · about 12:25 pm local time
- Place
- Clovis, New Mexico · Clovis Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210M · all T210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N732QP · no longer on the register · serial 21061692
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE DAWN, WITNESSES (WHO WERE PREFLIGHTING AN ACFT) SAW N732QP TAXIING TO RWY 4. THEY HEARD AN ENG RUN-UP; HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO SEE THE ACFT TAKEOFF DUE TO HEAVY FOG THAT HAD JUST MOVED OVER THE ARPT. (THE WITNESSES DECIDED TO CANCEL THEIR FLT DUE TO DETERIORATING WX.) SHORTLY AFTER N732QP TOOK OFF, THE WITNESSES HEARD THE ENG SOUND CHANGE TO A HIGH PITCH SCREAM. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A THUMP, THEN THERE WAS SILENCE. AFTER THE ACDNT, THE VISIBILITY CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE, HAMPERING A SEARCH FOR THE ACFT. AS SOON AS DAWN ARRIVED, THE ACFT WAS FND WHERE IT HAD CRASHED ON ARPT PROPERTY. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. THE PLT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED. HE HAD RCVD 2.8 HRS OF DUAL INSTRUMENT TRAINING IN THE FALL OF 1981, BUT NO RECORD OF SUBSEQUENT INSTRUMENT FLT TRAINING WAS FND. ONE WITNESS RPRTD THAT AT 0630, THE WX HAD DETERIORATED TO 200' OBSCURED, 1/8 MI VISIBILITY WITH FOG.
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: 492 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 445 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,947 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 1988; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CVS at 12:23 pm
- Destination: SVC Silver City NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 6,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 050° at 5 knots
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.