Cessna T210N accident near Riesel, Texas, April 1, 1985
On April 1, 1985 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N6436N, was destroyed in an accident near Riesel, Texas. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- April 1, 1985 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Riesel, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6436N · no longer on the register · serial 21063012
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT ENG HAD JUST BEEN TOP OVERHAULED AND A STOL KIT WAS ADDED. THE MECHANIC REPORTEDLY TOLD THE PLT TO BE 'EASY' ON THE ENG AND FLY THE ACFT 45-60 MINS NEAR THE TRAFFIC PATTERN SO IT COULD BE CHECKED FOR OIL LEAKS. THE PLT REPORTEDLYIGNORED THESE INSTRUCTIONS, LEFT THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AND WAS SEEN PERFORMING ABRUPT CLIMBING AND DESCENDING MANEUVERS. A WITNESS REPORTED SEEING THE ACFT SEVERAL MILES FROM THE ARPT TRAILING THIN WHITE SMOKE SHORTLY BEFORE THE ENG STOPPED.THE ACFT THEN MADE A STEEP LEFT TURN AND 'LOST ALTITUDE QUICKLY' IMPACTING TREES. ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE LANDING GEAR AND FLAPS WERE IN THE FULL EXTENDED POSITION. A NEGLIGABLE AMT OF OIL WAS IN THE ENG AND NO EVIDENCE OF AN OIL LEAK WAS FOUND. ENG TEARDOWN REVEALED EVIDENCE OF OIL STARVATION. TWO HOLES WERE FOUND WORN IN THE OIL PRESSURE LINETO THE TURBOCHARGER, HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE INTERNAL TEFLON LINER WAS TRANSFORMED TO ASHES BY INTENSE POST CRASH FIRE IT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED IF THE HOLES WERE WORN THROUGH THE INTERNAL LINER.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,606 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1985; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 70F Robinson TX at 8:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from ACT, 20 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.