Cessna T210M accident near Kerrville, Texas, July 2, 1997
On July 2, 1997 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna T210M, registered N761FM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kerrville, Texas (Kerrville Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The disintegration of the #1 cylinder piston resulting from a detonation/pre-ignition condition due to an unknown reason. A factor was 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
- July 2, 1997 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kerrville, Texas · Kerrville Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210M · all T210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N761FM · no longer on the register · serial 21062222
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was on its climb to cruise when the engine lost power. The pilot performed a forced landing short of the runway in rough and uneven terrain. An examination of the engine revealed that the #1 cylinder piston was seized in the cylinder, the piston rings were broken, the piston head was deteriorated around the edge down to the top compression ring with a portion of the ring missing, metal was deposited on the intake valve seat, and the intake valve was stuck in the open position. The #1 cylinder dome was damaged and scaring was noted on the cylinder walls. Aluminum particles were found in the #1 cylinder spark plugs and embedded in the #1 cylinder combustion chamber and internal components of the engine. According to the manufacturer, no discrepancies were found with the engine components that 'would have caused detonation/preignition to [the] number 1 cylinder.' The cylinder met the SAE chemistry requirements. The manufacturer's metallurgist stated that 'the burning of the piston crown most likely is the result of either detonation or pre-ignition.'
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,028 hours in all; 547 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 912 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,442 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 11, 1997; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R9B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ERV at 7:25 pm
- Destination: TYR Tyler TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 4,050 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°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.