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).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 1996 · about 9:24 am local time · cases in 1996
- Place
- Beaumont, Texas · Jefferson County · cases near this airport
- 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 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N9403Y on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna T210 Turbo Centurion 1,280 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,676 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R 22 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Jack Brooks Regional · nearest airport
- Lakefront Airport · departed from
- Beaumont Municipal · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,062 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,976 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/FTW96TA186.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.