Cessna T210N accident near College Station, Texas, July 12, 1985
On July 12, 1985 at about 8:55 pm local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N5203A, was substantially damaged in an accident near College Station, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 1985 · about 8:55 pm local time · cases in 1985
- Place
- College Station, Texas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5203A · registry record · serial 21063306
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 25 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF FROM A PLANNED INTERMEDIATE STOP, THE RIGHT FUEL TANK RAN DRY. AFTER SWITCHING TANKS, THEPLT DECIDED TO DIVERT TO A NEARBY ARPT TO REFUEL. DURING THE DESCENT, THE LEFT FUEL TANK RAN DRY AND THE ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PLT PICKED OUT A DIRT ROAD AND SET UP THE APCH FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. WHILE ON SHORT FINAL THE PLT OBSERVED A TRUCK PULL ONTO THE ROAD AHEAD. THE PLT SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED THE ACFT ON THE NOSE GEAR, COLLAPSING IT. THE PLT DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL QUANTITY PRIOR TO DEPARTURE AND RELIED ON THE LINE PERSONNEL'S STATEMENT THAT THE TANKS WERE TOPPED OFF.
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
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 14,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,400 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F74 Hillsboro TX
- Destination: SPX Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from CLL, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N5203A on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna T210 Turbo Centurion 1,281 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,685 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R 22 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,064 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,958 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/FTW85LA286.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.