Cessna T210N accident near Beaumont, Texas, April 28, 1996
On April 28, 1996 at about 9:24 am local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N9403Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Beaumont, Texas (Jefferson County airport). It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to refuel. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 1996 · about 9:24 am local time
- Place
- Beaumont, Texas · Jefferson County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N9403Y · registry record · serial 21064498
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was operating VFR above the clouds and was unable to locate Beaumont Municipal Airport due to the Beaumont VOR being out of service. The pilot contacted Houston Center and requested radar vectors to Jefferson County Airport, Beaumont, Texas. The pilot was issued an IFR clearance for the ILS Runway 12 approach at Jefferson County Airport. While on final approach, the airplane's engine lost power due to 'fuel exhaustion.' Attempts to restart the engine were not successful. During the attempted gear-up landing, the airplane's left wing struck a medium intensity approach light pole, which was located 1,700 feet from the approach end of runway 12. The flight had originated from New Orleans, Louisiana, about 4 hours 56 minutes before the accident. The fuel quantity gauge was checked for accuracy. Both tanks measured accurately from zero to full.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,113 hours in all; 4,939 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,836 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 2, 1996; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,016 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NEW New Orleans LA at 4:28 am
- Destination: BMT
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
- Runway 12, 6,751 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:04 am from BPT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW96TA186.