Cessna 210P accident near Bethany, Oklahoma, September 7, 1989
On September 7, 1989 at about 2:55 am local time, a Cessna 210P, registered N732XW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bethany, Oklahoma (Wiley Post 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
A LOOSE FUEL LINE CONNECTION, DUE TO INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND THE OBSTRUCTIONS (HAY BALE & APPROACH LIGHT POLE) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 1989 · about 2:55 am local time
- Place
- Bethany, Oklahoma · Wiley Post · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210P · all 210Ps on the register
- Registration
- N732XW · no longer on the register · serial P210-00597
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A VISUAL APCH TO LAND AT NIGHT, THE ENG LOST POWER AT ABOUT 400' AGL. THE PLT SAID THE LANDING LIGHTS PROVIDED SUFFICIENT LIGHTING TO LAND SAFELY, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE HAY BALES OR AN APCH LIGHT POLE IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA IN TIME TO AVOID THEM. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED BY A HAY BALE & THE LIGHT POLE. THE ACFT HAD BEEN SVCD WITH 87 GAL OF FUEL, WHICH WAS SUFFICIENT FOR THE 3 HR & 25 MIN FLT. HOWEVER, AN EXAM REVEALED THE FUEL TANKS WERE NEARLY EMPTY. A FURTHER EXAM REVEALED THAT THE FUEL LINE FROM THE FIREWALL TO THE ENG WAS ONLY FINGER TIGHT AT THE CONNECTION WITH THE ENG.
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
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all; 519 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 1,629 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 906 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 1987; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-P (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EVV Evansville IN at 11:30 pm
- Destination: PWA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 150° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.