Cessna T210L accident near Hesperia, California, January 10, 1985
On January 10, 1985 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna T210L, registered N210NF, was destroyed in an accident near Hesperia, California (Hesperia airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- January 10, 1985 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hesperia, California · Hesperia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210L · all T210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N210NF · no longer on the register · serial 21060043
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPTD THAT SHORTLY AFTER ENTERING THE DOWNWIND LEG FOR RY 03 HE COMPLETED THE PRELANDING CHECKLIST. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWE. THE ACFT ALTITUDE WAS TOO LOW TO NEGOTIATE A LANDING ON THE RY & THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND ADJACENT TO A ROAD ABOUT 1/4 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE APPROACH END OF THE RY. PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT FUEL TANK POSITION. THE RIGHT FUEL TANK & ITS ASSOCIATED FUEL TANK RESRVOIR WERE EMPTY. THE FUEL TANK SYSTEM WAS NOT COMPROMISED. NO FUEL WAS FOUND THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE FUEL SYSTEM. THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK CONTAINED ABOUT 32 GALLONS OF FUEL.
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: 2,260 hours in all; 826 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 2,240 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 18,582 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1984; 110 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TOA Torrance CA at 8:06 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 3,950 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.