Cessna T210M accident near Austin, Texas, September 11, 1984
On September 11, 1984 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna T210M, registered N761VP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Austin, Texas (Executive airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 1984 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Austin, Texas · Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210M · all T210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N761VP · no longer on the register · serial 21062555
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL, THE PLT REDUCED POWER ON BASE LEG FOR FOR A LANDING. WHEN HE REALIZED HIS AIRSPEED WAS DISSIPATING FASTER THAN NORMAL, HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLE, BUT THE ENG DID NOT RESPOND. THE PLT THEN SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP & APPLIED FULL THROTTLE, BUT THE ENG STILL DID NOT RESPOND. SUBSEQUENTLY, WHILE FLARING FOR A FORCED LANDING, THE ACFT HIT A TREE & CRASHED. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING THEIR SHOULDER HARNESSES & WERE NOT INJURED. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE FUEL PRIMER WAS FOUND UNLOCKED & EXTENDED ABOUT 1-1/2 INCHES. DURING AN OPERATIONAL CHECK, THE ENG STARTED & RAN NORMALLY AT 1500 RPM. WHEN THE PRIMER WAS UNLOCKED & PARTIALLY OPENED, THE ENG BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH, ITS SPEED DECREASED TO 700 RPM & THE ENG EMITTED BLACK SMOKE THRU THE EXHAUST. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THAT AT LOW RPM WITH THE PRIMER OPEN, FUEL WOULD SIPHON INTO THE MANIFOLD & CAUSE THE ENG TO RUN TOO RICH. ORIGINALLY, THE PRIMER HAD BEEN INSTALLED AS OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT FOR STARTS IN EXTREMELY COLD WX & WAS NOT LISTED IN THE FLT MANUAL CHECK LIST.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 551 hours in all; 197 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 432 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 965 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1984; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AUS Austin TX at 7:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,000 ft by 48 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 pm from AUS, 7 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.