Cessna 210 accident near Medford, Oklahoma, December 21, 2007
On December 21, 2007 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 210, registered N5957F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Medford, Oklahoma (Medford Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to attempt a night landing without runway lighting. A contributing factor was inoperative runway lights.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 21, 2007 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Medford, Oklahoma · Medford Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210 · all 210s on the register
- Registration
- N5957F · no longer on the register · serial 21058957
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot attempted a night landing on an unlighted runway. Prior to landing, he said he tried to activate the runway lights, but was unable to turn the lights on. The pilot noted that since there was moonlight and he was familiar with the airport; he elected to land without the runway lights. He reported that he thought he could see the runway, and that he was on the runway, until "he felt the nose-wheel sink." The airplane came to rest inverted. An inspection of the runway lighting system revealed that the lights were not functioning properly.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,196 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,196 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,650 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HOB Hobbs NM
- Destination: Medford OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,007 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from KWDG, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.