Cessna T210N accident near Bullhead City, Arizona, July 13, 1986
On July 13, 1986 at about 4:25 am local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N5534Y, was destroyed in an accident near Bullhead City, Arizona (Bullhead City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 6 people were killed. 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
- July 13, 1986 · about 4:25 am local time
- Place
- Bullhead City, Arizona · Bullhead City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5534Y · no longer on the register · serial 21064240
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT, WHO HAD ACCUMULATED APPROXIMATELY 450 HOURS OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCE AND HIS 5 PASSENGERS, ARRIVED AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT DURING DARKNESS. THIS WAS THE PILOT'S FIRST LANDING AT THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT AND HE WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. ON HIS ARRIVAL HE ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN ON A RIGHT DOWNWIND LEG TO RUNWAY 35. THIS PATTERN WAS CONTRARY TO THE PUBLISHED PATTERN AND THE LIGHTED SEGMENTED CIRCLE VISUAL TRAFFIC PATTERN INDICATOR ON THE AIRPORT. HE WAS UNABLE TO COMLETE HIS FIRST ATTEMPT TO LAND AND MADE A GO-AROUND. AFTER CLIMBING PAST THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY THE PILOT MADE A LEFT STEEP TURN OF APPROXIMATELY 225 DEGREES. THE TURN PLACED THE AIRCRAFT ON A RIGHT DOWNWIND TO RUNWAY 35 AND IT DESCENDED INTO HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION LINES.
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
- Flight time: 450 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,450 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 23, 1986; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520R (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Scottsdale Aero Mech Flying Cl
The flight
- Departed from: SDL Scottsdale AZ at 3:15 am
- Destination: P06 Bullhead City AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 5,060 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 am from LSV, 67 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.