Cessna 210E accident near Matagorda 526, November 23, 1989
On November 23, 1989 at about 2:15 am local time, a Cessna 210E, registered TGGUW, was destroyed in an accident near Matagorda 526. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE SEPARATION OF THE PROPELLER SYSTEM FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE SEVERITY OF THE INJURIES WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ASSURE THAT A RAFT AND/OR LIFEVESTS WERE ON THE AIRPLANE DURING THE OVERWATER PORTION OF THE FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 23, 1989 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Matagorda 526
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210E · all 210Es on the register
- Registration
- TGGUW · no longer on the register · serial 21058683
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLIGHT THE PROPELLER ASSEMBLY SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE. THE PILOT DITCHED THE AIRPLANE NEXT TO AN OIL PLATFORM APRX 10 MI FROM LAND. THE PILOT, HIS WIFE, AND TWO SMALL CHILDREN EXITED AND ATTEMPTED TO SWIM TO THE PLATFORM. THE SEA STATE WAS ROUGH, AND NO RAFT OR LIFE VESTS WERE ON THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT'S WIFE AND CHILDREN WERE LOST AT SEA. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE MOUNTS AND CRANKSHAFT SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF FATIGUE OR PRE-EXISTING FRACTURES. APRX 4 YEARS PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT THE AIRPLANE WAS INVOLVED IN A GEAR-UP LANDING, RESULTING IN THE PROP BLADES BEING CURLED BACK APRX 30 DEG UP TO 8 INCHES FROM THE TIPS. THE BLADES WERE STRAIGHTENED AND RETURNED TO SERVICE. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER THE REPAIR WAS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR SERVICE MANUAL AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED.
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: foreign licence, private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 872 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 79 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 872 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,662 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 29, 1989; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BRO Brownsville TX at 1:00 am
- Destination: AAP Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 330° at 30 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.