Cessna T210L accident near San Jacinto, California, December 14, 2001
On December 14, 2001 at about 11:28 pm local time, a Cessna T210L, registered N210RE, was destroyed in an accident near San Jacinto, California (Hemet-Ryan airport). It was a personal 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 loss of situational awareness and his failure to adhere to the prescribed instrument approach procedures, including the track and altitudes flown. The underlying reasons for the pilot's loss of situational awareness are unknown.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 14, 2001 · about 11:28 pm local time
- Place
- San Jacinto, California · Hemet-Ryan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210L · all T210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N210RE · registry record · serial 21060516
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a GPS approach, the pilot did not turn onto the prescribed course toward the final approach fix, and he allowed the airplane to prematurely descend below the specified altitude for the route segment until impacting a mountainside in controlled flight. Actual instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, with a low ceiling over the mountains. About 11 minutes before the accident, the radar controller cleared the pilot to perform the GPS approach. The pilot indicated to the controller that he was aware of the initial approach fix's location and crossing altitude. At no time during the approach did the pilot indicate he was experiencing difficulty navigating or request assistance. The pilot initially navigated along the prescribed course. Seconds after passing an intermediate fix where a critical 75-degree course change was required, the controller lost radar and radio contact with the pilot. Rather than proceeding toward the final approach fix along the 153-degree prescribed course, the pilot's track averaged 107 degrees. Also, instead of maintaining the 4,100-foot msl minimum altitude until passing the final approach fix, the pilot descended to 3,550 feet msl. The airplane was equipped with a GPS receiver that had the capability of displaying a "moving" map. The airplane crashed 5.9 nm east of the prescribed course and 550 feet below the authorized altitude. The reason why the pilot lost situational awareness and his track became divergent is unknown.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,215 hours in all; 425 in this make and model
- Last flight review: October 10, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,432 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 3, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-H (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SMO Santa Monica CA at 10:46 pm
- Destination: HMT Hemet CA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 17 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,800 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.65 inHg
- Observation at 11:25 pm from HMT, 9 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.
Other NTSB records under N210RE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.