Cessna P210N accident near Salton City, California, August 26, 1986
On August 26, 1986 at about 10:53 pm local time, a Cessna P210N, registered N5135A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salton City, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- August 26, 1986 · about 10:53 pm local time
- Place
- Salton City, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5135A · no longer on the register · serial P21000831
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER WAS EXPERIENCED DURING A DESCENT FROM 17,500' MSL TO 10,000' MSL. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE FAILED AND THE ACFT WAS LANDED GEAR-UP IN A ROCKY FIELD. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION DISCLOSED A TRACK OF INTERNAL ELECTRICAL ARCING IN THE DISTRIBUTOR SECTION OF BOTH MAGNETOS. THE SLICK MAGNETOS, MODEL NUMBER 6220, HAD A TOTAL TIME SINCE NEW OF 401 HOURS. THE ACFT SERVICE INSTRUCTIONS SUGGEST THE MAGNETO BREAKER COMPARTMENT BE INSPECTED DURING THE FIRST 25 HOUR ACFT INSPECTION AND DURING EACH SUBSEQUENT 100 HOUR INSPECTION. THE ACFT HAD RECEIVED AN ANNUAL INSPECTION 36 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURERS SEAL ON THE BREAKER COMPARTMENT SCREW HEADS HAD NOT BEEN BROKEN INDICATING THE MAGNETOS WERE NOT INSPECTED DURING THE ANNUAL INSPECTION.
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: 3,600 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 401 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 15, 1987; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-AF (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BUR Burbank CA at 9:15 pm
- Destination: UDD Bermuda Dunes CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from TRM, 23 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.