Cessna T210N accident near Houston, Texas, December 7, 1985
On December 7, 1985 at about 1:15 am local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N72WF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- December 7, 1985 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N72WF · no longer on the register · serial 21063357
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE ACFT HAD EXTRA FUEL CANS ON BOARD AND HAD BEEN FLYING FOR ALMOST 12 HOURS IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID CAPTURE BY U.S. AGENTS FOR THE POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA. THE ACFT CONTAINED 750 LBS OF MARIJUANA OBTAINED IN BELIZE,CENTRAL AMERICA. WHEN HE BECAME AWARE OF PURSUIT BY OTHER ACFT THE PLT REDUCED FUEL CONSUMPTION SO THAT A LANDING COULD BE MADE AFTER DARK. WHEN HE FAILED TO ELUDE HIS PURSUERS THE PLT FLEW UNTIL FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PLT IS NOW IN CUSTODY OF U.S. DRUG ENFORCEMENT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 2,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Belize CA
- Destination: Unknown
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:46 am from HOU, 3 miles away
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.
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.