Cessna 210A accident near Escondido, California, May 28, 2001
On May 28, 2001 at about 6:49 pm local time, a Cessna 210A, registered N9462X, was destroyed in an accident near Escondido, California (Ramona airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's spatial disorientation and lack of instrument flight proficiency that resulted in a loss of directional control and the airplane's subsequent in-flight collision with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 2001 · about 6:49 pm local time
- Place
- Escondido, California · Ramona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210A · all 210As on the register
- Registration
- N9462X · no longer on the register · serial 21057762
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane departed the Ramona airport approximately 1140. It was radar identified by the air traffic controller, who then instructed the pilot to climb and maintain 6,000 feet msl. The controller told the pilot to make a left turn and proceed to the Oceanside VOR. The pilot acknowledged the instructions. The airplane then made a right turn to a heading of approximately 040 degrees at 4,300 feet msl. The controller requested that the pilot fly a heading of 270 degrees and to climb to 7,000 feet msl. The pilot acknowledged the radar vector. The airplane then made a steep 320-degree turn to the left, stopping on a heading of approximately 360 degrees at an altitude of 4,800 feet msl. The controller asked the pilot to continue his right turn to a heading of 290 degrees for radar vectors to victor airway 186. Then the controller asked the pilot to say altitude. A response from another pilot onboard the airplane said, "standby, we're in a little trouble here." The controller made two subsequent calls to the accident airplane. The pilot-in-command replied, "uh, six two x-ray standby a second." The controller issued a warning that the airplane was heading for higher terrain and instructed the pilot to turn left and climb. There was no response from the pilot. The airplane began a steep left turn from an altitude of 4,700 feet msl and turned left to a heading of approximately 180 degrees, descending from 4,700 feet msl to 2,500 feet msl, and then back up to 3,100 feet msl. At 1148:39, radar contact was lost with the airplane. According to the pilot's logbook, he had logged a total of 12.6 hours in 1999, 5.6 hours in 2000, and 11.5 hours in 2001. For the 3 years indicated, he had logged a total of 0.7 hours in instrument meteorological conditions. There was no evidence of an instrument proficiency check having been completed within the 12 calendar months prior to the accident. No instrument flight experience had been logged within the 12 calendar months preceding the accident.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,900 hours in all; 10 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 25, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Crew member
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,603 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 26, 2001; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470 E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RMN Ramona CA at 6:40 pm
- Destination: FAT Fresno CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 4,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from RMN, 8 miles away
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.