Cessna T210L accident near Estancia, New Mexico, April 19, 1995
On April 19, 1995 at about 2:30 am local time, a Cessna T210L, registered N1664X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Estancia, New Mexico. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO EXHAUST VALVE SEPARATION RESULTING FROM INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 1995 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Estancia, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210L · all T210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N1664X · no longer on the register · serial 21060699
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE FORCED LANDING, FOLLOWING A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, IN DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TRANSMISSION WIRES AND TREES BEFORE COMING TO REST INVERTED ALONG A FENCE ROW. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A HOLE IN THE #2 PISTON. PHYSICAL EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT THE EXHAUST VALVE MIGRATED OUT THE EXHAUST. METAL PARTS, FOUND IN THE OIL SUMP, WERE IDENTIFIED AS PARTS OF THE #2 EXHAUST VALVE SEAT. ENGINE S/N 217105R WAS OVERHAULED IN MARCH, 1992; HOWEVER, RECORDS DID NOT INDICATE THAT THE VALVES HAD BEEN CHANGED AT THE OVERHAUL. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVE, 'GUIDELINES FOR AN ENGINE OVERHAUL REQUIRE CHANGING THE VALVE.' THE ENGINE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REMOVED AND REASSEMBLED IN AUGUST, 1993, AND IN FEBRUARY, 1994.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,746 hours in all; 505 in this make and model; 230 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 1,555 as pilot in command; 900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,743 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 30, 1995; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-H (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: B & M Enterprises, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: HMN Alamogordo NM at 1:50 am
- Destination: ABQ Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:52 am from ABQ, 28 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.