Cessna 210L accident near Mack, Colorado, May 8, 2000
On May 8, 2000 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Cessna 210L, registered N732ER, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mack, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Factors were the mountain obscuration and the rising terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 2000 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Mack, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210L · all 210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N732ER · no longer on the register · serial 21061461
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instrument rated pilot received 3 weather briefings and waited 3 hours for weather to improve before departing on a VFR flight. According to witnesses, the mountain tops in the vicinity of the pilot's route of flight were obscured by clouds. The pilot told the witnesses that he was concerned with the freezing level and therefore wanted to stay VFR. The pilot told the FSS weather briefer that he was trying to stay out of icing conditions and the lower he flew the better. The pilot filed a flight plan that had an intended route of flight along a victor airway at VFR altitudes. Radar data depicted the accident airplane climbing to a maximum altitude of 8,700 feet msl and heading northwest on course before radar contact was lost. The radar altitude data was overlaid on topographical data and revealed the terrain rising to meet the airplane's last radar altitude return. The airplane impacted mountainous terrain at 8,736 feet msl. Weather reports along the route of flight depict cloud bases initiating approximately 7,300 feet msl. Examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies that would have prevented normal operation of the aircraft.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,083 hours in all; 2,640 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,601 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2000; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GJT Grand Junction CO at 6:32 pm
- Destination: VEL Vernal UT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from GJT, 39 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.