Cessna 210E accident near Elbert, Colorado, April 9, 1990
On April 9, 1990 at about 11:56 pm local time, a Cessna 210E, registered N4912U, was destroyed in an accident near Elbert, Colorado. It was a business 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 PILOT'S INITIATION OF FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, THE RAPID ICE ACCUMULATION ON THE AIRFRAME, AND AN INADVERTENT STALL-MUSH, RESULTING IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT INTO TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 1990 · about 11:56 pm local time
- Place
- Elbert, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210E · all 210Es on the register
- Registration
- N4912U · no longer on the register · serial 21058612
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT OBTAINED WX BRIEFING AND ADVISED OF KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS ALONG ROUTE. PLT FILED IFR FLT PLAN AND TOOK OFF AT 1733. AT 1744, PLT REPORTED PICKING UP RIME ICE AND REQUESTED LOWER ALT. ATC WAS UNABLE TO DESCEND PLT DUE TO MINIMUM VECTORING ALT AND TOLD PLT TO CLIMB TO 10,000 FT. AT 1745, PLT ADVISED HE HAD TOO MUCH ICE AND COULD NOT CLIMB. ATC CLEARED ACFT TO 9000 FT. AT 1748, PLT SAID HE WAS LOSING STATIC SYSTEM. ATC CLEARED ACFT DIRECT TO KIOWA VORTAC AND TOWARDS LOWER TERRAIN. AT 1752, PLT SAID HE COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALT AND WAS LOSING AIRSPEED. ATC CLEARED ACFT TO 8500 FT. AT 1753, RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. AT 1756, ACFT CRASHED. TV VIDEOTAPES TAKEN 3 HRS AFTER CRASH SHOWED AT LEAST 1-IN RIME ICE ON LEADING EDGES OF WINGS, STABILIZERS, AND STRUTS. ACFT WAS NOT CERTIFIED FOR FLT INTO KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS. PLT WAS INSTRUMENT RATED, BUT HAD LOGGED ONLY 3.75 HRS IFR FLT, ALL ACTUAL, IN PREVIOUS 6 MOS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,054 hours in all; 694 in this make and model; 64 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 3,911 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,745 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 12, 1989; 270 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COS Colorado Spring CO at 11:32 pm
- Destination: APA Englewood CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 20 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 45 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from COS, 25 miles away
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.