Cessna T210L and Cessna 310 accident near San Luis Obispo, California, January 15, 2001
On January 15, 2001 at about 3:30 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna T210L (N2508S) and Cessna 310 (N890GR), were involved in the same accident near San Luis Obispo, California (San Luis Obispo County-Mc Ches airport). 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
The pilot’s failure to ensure adequate taxi clearance between aircraft. A factor in the accident was glare from the morning sun.
The failure of the other pilot to ensure adequate taxi clearance between aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 15, 2001 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Luis Obispo, California · San Luis Obispo County-Mc Ches · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna T210L · all T210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N2508S · registry record · serial 21061311
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 310 · all 310s on the register
- Registration
- N890GR · registry record · serial C3104-0130
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna T210L final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the taxing Cessna T210L reported that the morning sun was shining directly down the taxiway and made it very difficult to see. He continued taxiing and his left wing struck the right propeller of a Cessna 310 in the run-up area. The resulting collision caused damage to the right engine, propeller, and tip tank of the 310, and severed 5 feet from the T210L's left wing.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 310 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was in the run-up area for runway 29 and had just completed cycling the props when he noticed movement to the right side of the aircraft. He looked over and saw a Cessna T210L approaching from his right and slightly behind. The T210L's left wing struck the right tip tank then passed through the propeller arc of the right engine and was severed approximately 5 feet inboard. Both aircraft were shutdown and there were no injuries. The pilot of the taxing T210L reported the morning sun restricted his vision, but he continued to taxi.
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 for the Cessna T210L from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,704 hours in all; 2,320 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 2,600 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,750 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 14, 2000; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SBP San Luis Obispo CA
- Destination: Palomar CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 29, 4,799 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 3:38 pm from SBP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 310 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,620 hours in all; 79 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 1,510 as pilot in command; 980 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 8, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,348 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 11, 2000; 178 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SBP San Luis Obispo
- Destination: SMO Santa Monica CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,799 ft by 150 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 LAX01LA075.