Cessna T-210-L accident near Edgewood, New Mexico, August 23, 1990
On August 23, 1990 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Cessna T-210-L, registered N5397V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Edgewood, New Mexico. It was a personal 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
ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO A BROKEN CONNECTING ROD. A FACTOR WAS THE ROUGH UNEVEN TERRAIN AVAILABLE FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 1990 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Edgewood, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T-210-L · all T-210-Ls on the register
- Registration
- N5397V · no longer on the register · serial 21060932
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT REPORTED DURING INITIAL CLIMB, FOLLOWING AN ANNUAL INSPECTION, WHICH INCLUDED REPLACEMENT OF THREE CYLINDERS, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE NOISES AND QUIT. THE PLANE HAD ATTAINED 400 FEET AGL, AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A ROAD. THE PLANE LANDED SHORT IN A ROUGH FIELD, SLID 550 FEET, CROSSED A DITCH, AN ARROYO, THE ROAD, AND STRUCK A DIRT BANK. THE LEFT WING SPAR, FUSELAGE, ENGINE MOUNT AND FIREWALL WERE DAMAGED. A POSTACCIDENT ENGINE TEARDOWN REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER TWO ROD HAD FAILED AND CAUSED AN ENGINE STOPPAGE. THE ROD SHOWED EVIDENCE OF UNDER LUBRICATION AND OVERHEATING. THE INVESTIGATION FOUND NO EVIDENCE THAT THE ROD HAD BEEN REMOVED DURING THE MAINTENANCE.
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: 361 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 361 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,508 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 22, 1990; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-RCH (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: NM51
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.