Cessna P210N accident near Amarillo, Texas, July 19, 2006
On July 19, 2006 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Cessna P210N, registered N732TZ, was destroyed in an accident near Amarillo, Texas (None airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power as result of the failure by maintenance personnel to install oil pump support bushings, which resulted in the fracture of the driven-gear and subsequent loss of oil pressure. Contributing factors were the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing and the prevailing tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 2006 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Amarillo, Texas · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N732TZ · no longer on the register · serial P21000594
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after departure, the pilot of a single-engine airplane reported that he had experienced a loss of engine power and needed to proceed to the nearest airport. An air traffic controller provided a heading to the closest airport and provided landmarks to help assist the pilot locate the runway. The 1,440-hour private pilot was not able to find the airport and elected to land in a short field with a prevailing tailwind. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with several obstacles before the airplane caught on fire. Examination of the engine revealed that the crankcase was breached above the number 2 cylinder. The components of the crankshaft and the number 1, number 2, and number 3 connecting rod assemblies exhibited signatures of thermal distress consistent with a lack of lubrication. The engine driven oil pump was disassembled and examined. The examination revealed that the two bushings that support the oil driven-gear were not installed, and the driven gear had fractured at the spline-drive. Further examination found that the oil pump driven-gear support shaft in the oil pump housing exhibited full gear length wear, indicating that it had been operating without bushings. In addition, the interior wall of the oil pump that housed the driven-gear exhibited heavy scoring and displaced material, indicating binding of the gear. The oil filter element was removed and the pleats were individually examined. The pleats contained a minimal amount of metallic debris. A review of the aircraft maintenance logs revealed that the engine was last overhauled on July 20,1998; however, pertinent details of the repair were not included in the logs and were only referenced in work orders. The maintenance records revealed that the engine was sent back to the overhauling facility on March 11, 2000, approximately 459.4 hours after the overhaul, due to a reported propeller strike. The Safety Board contacted the overhauling facility and requested a copy of the work orders for both repairs; however, a company official reported that they only retain records for two years as required by Federal Aviation Regulation 145.219 (c). Further review of the engine logbook revealed there were no entries that indicated that the oil pump had ever been removed or replaced after the overhaul was completed. As a result, it could not be determined when/who had last disassembled/re-assembled the pump. The engine had accrued approximately 1,059.7 hours since it was overhauled at the time of the accident. At the time of the accident the winds were reported from 210 degrees at 12 knots.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,440 hours in all; 934 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,619 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2006; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental TSIO-520-P (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: AMR Amarillo TX at 1:11 pm
- Destination: LBB Lubbock TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 1:49 pm from AMR, 15 miles away
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.