Cessna 210 accident near San Pedro, California, October 16, 1984
On October 16, 1984 at about 9:21 pm local time, a Cessna 210, registered N7470E, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Pedro, California (Torrance airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 1984 · about 9:21 pm local time
- Place
- San Pedro, California · Torrance · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210 · all 210s on the register
- Registration
- N7470E · no longer on the register · serial 57170
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS ON A 3.5 MILE FINAL APPROACH TO TORRENCE ARPT WHEN THE PILOT EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE PLT LANDED THE ACFT THE LOS ANGELES, WEST BASIN HARBOR. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND ASSOCIATED FUEL LINES AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. THE ENG DRIVEN FUEL PUMP WAS TESTED AND FOUND TO BE DEVELOPING LESS THAN THE MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFIED PRESSURE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL PUMP REVEALED A BRITTLE AND CRACKED RUBBER DIAPHRAM. THE ENGINE HAD A TOTAL TIME OF 2,932 HOURS, 982 HOURS SMOH AND THE ORIGINAL SAFETY WIRES WERE STILL IN USE ON THE FUEL PUMP.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,920 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 2,700 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,932 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 24, 1984; 35 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: LGB 2Ong Beach CA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: TOA Torrance CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:21 pm from TOA, 3 miles away
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.
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.