Cessna 210A accident near Provo, Utah, October 10, 1998
On October 10, 1998 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 210A, registered N9449X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Provo, Utah. 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
The pilot's abrupt throttle control movement that caused the engine to flood, and his failure to follow emergency procedures contained in the Airplane Flight Manual. Factors were increasing the mixture control to full rich and switching the fuel pump to high boost.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 1998 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Provo, Utah
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210A · all 210As on the register
- Registration
- N9449X · registry record · serial 57749
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was low on the approach to runway 36, and so he 'quickly pushed the throttle in' and there was a total power loss. The pilot turned the fuel pump to HIGH boost, and pushed the mixture in to full rich. He then pulled the mixture back to idle cut-off. The engine sputtered momentarily. Attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. The airplane was ditched in Utah Lake, just short of the approach end of runway 36. The engine was later functionally tested and it operated satisfactorily at all power settings. A mechanic told the pilot he had flooded the engine when he 'quickly pushed the throttle in.'
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: 108 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 73 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U77 Spanish Fork UT at 9:50 pm
- Destination: PVU UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 16 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from PVU
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.