Cessna T210M accident near El Paso, Texas, April 26, 1996
On April 26, 1996 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna T210M, registered N724YY, was destroyed in an accident near El Paso, Texas (El Paso International airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the #2 cylinder connecting rod bolt due to oil starvation as a result of the shifting of the main bearing. A factor was the unsuitable 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 26, 1996 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- El Paso, Texas · El Paso International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210M · all T210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N724YY · no longer on the register · serial 21062782
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While entering a left base leg for landing, the engine lost power. A forced landing to a city street was executed. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with a pickup truck, light poles, and a retaining wall. Internal examination of the engine revealed the #2 main bearing had heat damage and had spun. The #2 rod cap bearing had heavy wear and was heat discolored.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 541 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 380 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,332 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 4, 1996; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ELP at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from ELP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.