Cessna 210 accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, October 26, 2000
On October 26, 2000, a Cessna 210, registered N9485T, was destroyed in an accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Will Rogers World airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's loss of control of the aircraft during initial/takeoff climb. Contributing factors were the night conditions, low ceilings, and the pilot's lack of flight experience in actual instrument meteorological conditions at night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 26, 2000
- Place
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · Will Rogers World · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210 · all 210s on the register
- Registration
- N9485T · registry record · serial 57285
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instrument rated commercial pilot obtained a preflight weather briefing. IMC prevailed for the CFR Part 91 night cross-country flight, and the pilot filed an IFR flight plan. Prior to the takeoff, the pilot received ATIS information November [wind 140 degrees at 11 knots; visibility 10 statue miles; ceiling 500 broken; temperature 16 degrees C.; dew point 15 degrees C.; altimeter 30.02 inches of Hg]. The meteorological conditions at the time of the accident probably included surface winds southeast at 16 knots, cloud bases near 1,800 feet with multiple cloud layers above, light to moderate turbulence above 2,000 feet, and light rain. The runway lights (HIRL) were set to intensity level 3. The single-engine airplane was cleared for takeoff following the departure of an airline jet. Radar track data indicated the jet was at an altitude of 2,000 feet msl, when the airplane was cleared for takeoff. The airplane was airborne at least halfway down the runway, and radar track data indicated a climb profile above the jet. The pilot was cleared to contact departure control, and he acknowledged the clearance. There was no further contact with the aircraft. During the impact with terrain and post accident fire, the airplane was destroyed. There was no complete system found intact. Examination of the aircraft did not reveal any discrepancies that would have precluded operation of the aircraft prior to the impact. The pilot had satisfactorily completed a VFR only competency/proficiency check, and had flown 27.5 hours of CFR Part 135 flights in the accident aircraft. The accumulated PIC flight time in the make and model of the accident aircraft was 56.8 hours (22.3 hours at night). The accumulated flight time during the day in actual IMC was 33.8 hours, in the previous 5 years, of which 3.3 hours (2.4 hours in the accident airplane) were in the last 90 days. The most recent logged flight time at night in actual IMC, prior to the accident flight, was 0.3 hour on July 2, 1993, and 2.3 hours on September 24, 1993.
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: 1,187 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 118 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 1,069 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 22, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,450 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 24, 2000; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Bygone Aviation, LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: OKC Oklahoma City OK
- Destination: E42 Spearman TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17R, 9,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 130° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
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.