Cessna T210M accident near Sacramento, California, January 6, 1991
On January 6, 1991 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Cessna T210M, registered N6148B, was destroyed in an accident near Sacramento, California (Sacramento Executive airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WHILE FLYING IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND SPATIAL DISORIENTATION OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS DIVERSION OF THE PILOT'S ATTENTION TO NAVIGATIONAL TASKS SECONDS BEFORE THE LOSS OF CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 1991 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Sacramento, California · Sacramento Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210M · all T210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N6148B · no longer on the register · serial 62693
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF A CESSNA T210M LOST CONTROL AND COLLIDED WITH LEVEL TERRAIN, 3 MILES SOUTH OF THE APRT WHILE ON AN IFR FLIGHT. RADAR CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED WITH THE AIRPLANE AS IT CLIMBED THROUGH 300 FT MSL. THE RADAR DATA INDICATED THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO BE ESTABLISHED ON THE ASSIGNED HEADING OF 150 DEG. AFTER THE PILOT RECEIVED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) CLEARANCE TO JOIN THE FLIGHT PLAN AIRWAY AND RESUME OWN NAVIGATION, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO ENTER DESCENDING RIGHT TURN. AS THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED THROUGH 1,000 FT MSL, ATC ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE PILOT WITH NO RESPONSE FROM THE PILOT. WITNESSES ON THE GROUND OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DESCEND OUT OF THE OVERCAST IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. TWO WITNESSES INDICATED THEY HEARD THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE OVERHEAD HEADING WESTBOUND AND THEN TURN EASTBOUND. ONE OF THE WITNESSES STATED, 'THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL THERE WAS NO SPUTTERING OR ANYTHING.' EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 400 hours in all; 9 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 344 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,278 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 13, 1990; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: LGB Long Beach CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:47 pm from SAC, 3 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.