Cessna 210K accident near Ponca City, Oklahoma, October 30, 1999
On October 30, 1999 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 210K, registered N1162M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ponca City, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Inadequate quality control by the manufacturer of the throttle control cable, which resulted in failure of the cable due to fatigue. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 30, 1999 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ponca City, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210K · all 210Ks on the register
- Registration
- N1162M · no longer on the register · serial 21059242
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight, the pilot retarded the throttle to initiate a descent, intending to reduce manifold pressure from 24 inches to 21 inches. As the manifold pressure dropped below 21 inches, the pilot increased the throttle; however, the manifold pressure continued to decrease until the needle reached the lowest reading on the gauge. The pilot exercised the throttle through its full range, but received no response from the engine. He then executed a forced landing to a muddy field. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the throttle cable had separated. The cable was examined at the NTSB Materials Laboratory and it was determined that the cable failed as result of fatigue cracking. The outer coiled spring housing, in which fatigue was observed, had a coarse texture and contained tool marks and surface fissures. The origin of the fatigue was observed at one of the fissures. There was no corrosion or deposits observed on the exterior surface of the cord. The throttle cable had been installed new 71.3 hours prior to the accident.
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: 908 hours in all; 246 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 836 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,895 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 16, 1999; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LBB Lubbock TX at 8:00 pm
- Destination: MQY Smyrna TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from PNC, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.