Cessna 210 accident near Clarendon, Texas, December 14, 2003
On December 14, 2003 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Cessna 210, registered N718LG, was destroyed in an accident near Clarendon, Texas. 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 loss of engine power due the separation of the number six cylinder as a result of a fatigue failure from the loosening of the cylinder attachment hardware.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 14, 2003 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Clarendon, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210 · all 210s on the register
- Registration
- N718LG · no longer on the register · serial 57031
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise flight, the pilot noticed smoke emanating from the engine and entering the cockpit. The pilot secured the engine and executed a forced landing to a field. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted a fence, trees, and came to rest upright. Examination of the engine revealed the number six cylinder was partially separated from the crankcase, and several of the cylinder fasteners, deck studs and through-bolts, were fractured. Metallurgical examination of the fracture surfaces by the manufacturer revealed evidence of fatigue and overload signatures. Fretting was noted on the cylinder and crankcase mating surfaces. Hardness of each of the deck studs and through-bolts met manufacturer's specifications. No additional anomalies were noted with the engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 4,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 3, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 9, 2003; 150 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ADS Addison TX at 4:21 pm
- Destination: TDW Amarillo TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 315° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.