Cessna P210N accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico, September 5, 1999
On September 5, 1999 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Cessna P210N, registered N999KM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Fe, 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A non-mechanical total loss of engine power for reasons undetermined. Factors were maneuvering to avoid oncoming vehicles, and the rough and uneven terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 1999 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Fe, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N999KM · registry record · serial P21000387
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was equipped with a Rolls Royce (Allison) 250-B17F turbine engine. All the fuel tanks (wings, tips, fuselage) were topped off with Jet-A fuel (about 147 gallons) and Prist, a fuel additive. During the first attempt to start the engine, N1 reached about 30% with no temperature rise, so the pilot stopped the start sequence. After waiting about five minutes, a second start attempt was successful. Peak turbine outlet temperature (TOT) was 707 degrees C. Taxi, runup, and takeoff were normal. About 10 minutes after departure, as the airplane was climbing through 12,000 feet msl, 'the engine stopped, the generator light came on, and the torque needle went to zero.' An inflight restart was attempted but was not successful. The pilot made a forced landing on Highway 16. Oncoming traffic forced the pilot to depart the side of the road shearing off the nose wheel at the fork. The wings flexed during the off roadway excursion, causing the spar web and cap to buckle downward. The engine was later functionally tested successfully.
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: 695 hours in all; 357 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 614 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,992 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1999; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison 250-B17F/2 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAF NM at 4:00 pm
- Destination: SJC San Jose CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from SAF, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN99LA174.