Cessna 210A accident near San Luis Obispo, California, November 12, 1987
On November 12, 1987 at about 1:16 am local time, a Cessna 210A, registered N9505X, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Luis Obispo, California (San Luis Obispo airport). It was a business 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
- November 12, 1987 · about 1:16 am local time
- Place
- San Luis Obispo, California · San Luis Obispo
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210A · all 210As on the register
- Registration
- N9505X · no longer on the register · serial 21057805
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE APPROACHING THE ARPT THE PLT STATED THAT HE SLIPPED THE ACFT FROM 1800 FEET TO 1400 FEET, LEVELED THE WINGS, STILL DESCENDING, AND ENTERED THE PATTERN AT 1200 FEET. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH THE ENGINE QUIT. UNABLE TO LAND ON THE RWY, THE PLT LANDED IN A SOFT FIELD WHERE THE ACFT NOSED OVER. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES.
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: 179 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 89 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,911 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1986; 70 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: EMT El Monte CA at 11:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,799 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:46 am from SBP, 1 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.