Cessna 210K accident near Lago Vista, Texas, February 19, 2007
On February 19, 2007 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 210K, registered N1162M, was destroyed in an accident near Lago Vista, Texas (Lago Vista Bar-K Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain. A factor was the pilot's diverted attention with a reported autopilot malfunction.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 2007 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lago Vista, Texas · Lago Vista Bar-K Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210K · all 210Ks on the register
- Registration
- N1162M · no longer on the register · serial 21059242
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument rated private pilot departed a non-towered airport on a 131-nautical mile cross-country flight. About 55 miles from the departure airport, he reported an autopilot/runaway trim problem to an air traffic controller. During the return to his departure airport, the pilot told the controller, that he was pulling circuit breakers, and that he did not need any assistance. Additionally, the pilot reported that this problem had been an intermittent problem in the past. Review of radar data revealed the airplane's normal departure and 180-degree turn back to its departure airport. The radar data also revealed that the airplane's departure track as a straight-line, with little deviation in altitude or airspeed. When the airplane returned to its departure airport, it descended to an altitude of 2,200 feet mean sea level (msl), and proceeded northwest, just beyond the airport. For the next 52-minutes, the airplane was observed on radar executing a series of irregular, non-uniform circuits, that included left and right turns, climbs and descents. The first series of circuits were made within about 5-miles of the airport before the last series, which were made within about a 10-mile radius of the airport. There were no reported witnesses to the accident. Emergency personnel located the crash site, approximately 1 mile short of the approach end of the active runway, shortly after the airplane disappeared from radar. Impact marks on the respective trees indicate the airplane impacted the trees and terrain in a near wings level attitude at cruise speed. At the time of the accident, the airplane was configured with the flaps retracted. The position of the landing gear could not be determined. Examination of the airplane and engine did not disclose any evidence of any malfunction or pre-impact anomaly. The elevator trim tab drive mechanism measured 2-inches, which is consistent with about a 15-degree tab up (nose down) pitch setting. A post-crash fire consumed most of the airplane. The reason for control flight into the ground could not be determined. The winds at the time of the mishap were reported from 180-degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 19 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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 650 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 5R3 Lago Vista TX at 8:15 pm
- Destination: SGR Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 14 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from KATT, 18 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.
Other NTSB records under N1162M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.