Cessna P210N accident near Mt. Charleston, Nevada, October 30, 2001
On October 30, 2001 at about 11:13 pm local time, a Cessna P210N, registered N734VM, was destroyed in an accident near Mt. Charleston, Nevada. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed after continuing flight into forecast adverse meteorological conditions consisting of turbulence, icing, and downdrafts, which resulted in a stall/spin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 30, 2001 · about 11:13 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Charleston, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N734VM · no longer on the register · serial P21000612
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot lost control of his airplane while cruising at 16,000 feet in instrument meteorological conditions. The airplane entered a spin and impacted the ground at 7,100 feet mean sea level. An examination of the airplane wreckage did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions. About 1 hour prior to departure the pilot had received a weather briefing. The briefer advised the pilot that there was an AIRMET along his proposed route of flight. The AIRMET forecast was for occasional moderate turbulence from the surface to 16,000 feet, and indicated occasional moderate icing in clouds and precipitation from the 12,000 foot freezing level up through 24,000 feet. The airplane was not equipped or certificated for flight into known icing conditions. While en route at 16,000 feet, with an average ground speed of 155 knots, the pilot encountered downdrafts. The pilot broadcast to the radar controller that he was "unable to maintain this altitude with this downdraft," requested permission to descend to 15,000 feet, and was cleared to descend. Recorded radar data indicated that the airplane's course changed from northwesterly to southeasterly, and then northeasterly, while its ground speed gradually decreased to 61 knots. The airplane's last recorded radar position was at 8,800 feet, and the airplane impacted into the underlying terrain within a 50-foot radius of this location. About 2 hours thereafter, another pilot reported experiencing severe turbulence while descending from 16,000 to 13,000 feet over the accident site vicinity.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 600 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 2, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,166 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 18, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-520P (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: FLG Flagstaff AZ at 9:40 pm
- Destination: RNO Reno NV
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 11:15 pm from DRA, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.