Cessna P210N accident near Arcadia, Florida, March 3, 2010
On March 3, 2010 at about 7:35 pm local time, a Cessna P210N, registered N4797K, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Arcadia, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power due to a fatigue fracture of the crankshaft resulting from worn bearings.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 2010 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Arcadia, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4797K · no longer on the register · serial P21000324
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 25 minutes into a cross-country flight, the airplane lost all engine power, and the pilot made an emergency landing in a field. The airplane collided with a power line pole and was consumed by a postcrash fire. Disassembly and examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft separated at the forward end of the No. 2 connecting rod journal. According to laboratory analysis, the fatigue fracture of the crankshaft was due to bearing wear and bearing shift. The maintenance records were destroyed by the postcrash fire, and no other history on the engine was obtained.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 135 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: July 8, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,292 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2009; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,303 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: FL59 Fort Myers FL at 7:00 pm
- Destination: LHW Hinesville GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 21 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,600 ft; ovct
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from PGD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.