Cessna 210L accident near Midland, Texas, April 19, 1985
On April 19, 1985 at about 11:35 pm local time, a Cessna 210L, registered N93V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Midland, Texas (Midland airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- April 19, 1985 · about 11:35 pm local time
- Place
- Midland, Texas · Midland
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210L · all 210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N93V · registry record · serial 21060441
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ESTIMATED THAT THE DURATION OF FLT WOULD BE ABOUT 5 TO 5-1/2 HRS & THAT HE HAD APRX 7 HRS OF FUEL ON BOARD. HOWEVER, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED HEAD WINDS DURING THE FLT, & AS IT WAS APPROACHING THE DESTINATION, THE ENG LOST POWER AFTER APRX 6 HRS OF FLT. SUBSEQUENTLY, AN EMERG LANDING WAS MADE ABOUT 1 MI FROM THE ARPT. DURING THE LADNING, THE NOSEWHEEL HIT A CLUMP OF GRASS & SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE ACDNT. A FUEL LINE WAS BROKEN DURING IMPACT WHICH ALLOWED FUEL TO DRAIN; THEREFORE, THE EXACT AMOUNT OF FUEL ON BOARD AT THE TIME OF THE ACDNT COULD NOT BE VERIFIED. THE INVESTIGATOR ESTIMATED THAT 93.5 GAL OF FUEL WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED AT OPTIMUM CONDITIONS. THE ACFT'S FUEL CAPACITY WAS 90 GAL OF WHICH 1 GAL WAS UNUSABLE. THE PLT BELIEVED THERE WAS STILL USABLE FUEL ON BOARD WHEN THE ENG LOST POWER & SAID THAT HE HAD THE FUEL SELECTOR SET FOR THE FULLEST TANK.
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: 1,356 hours in all; 622 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 1,218 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,932 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 30, 1984; 144 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BHM Birmingham AL at 5:30 pm
- Destination: MDD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 4,380 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from MAF
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.
Other NTSB records under N93V 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.