Cessna T210M accident near Sacramento, California, January 26, 1991
On January 26, 1991 at about 11:36 pm local time, a Cessna T210M, registered N210TW, was destroyed in an accident near Sacramento, California (Sacramento Exec airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING THE ENSUING EMERGENCY LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 1991 · about 11:36 pm local time
- Place
- Sacramento, California · Sacramento Exec · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210M · all T210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N210TW · no longer on the register · serial 21061858
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS RETURNING TO HIS HOME AIRPORT FROM A FOUR HOUR ROUND-ROBIN FLIGHT WITH ON LANDING AND TAKEOFF EN ROUTE. THE FUEL TANKS WERE FULL AT THE FIRST TAKEOFF AND NO FUEL HAD BEEN ADDED. THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL QUANTITY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS CALCULATED TO BE 25 GALLONS. THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAD LOST THE ENGINE APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE FROM THE RUNWAY. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT'S NOSE RAISE AND THE AIRCRAFT ENTER INTO A STEEP DESCENDING RIGHT TURN BEFORE IT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. A POST-CRASH ENGINE OPERATIONAL TEST DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY EVIDENCE OF A FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT WING TANK WAS RUPTURED DURING THE IMPACT SEQUENCE. THE LEFT TANK WAS LEAKING AND ONLY 5 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS RECOVERED. THE POSITION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE IN THE COCKPIT POINTED TOWARD THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS FOUND POSITIONED BETWEEN THE OFF AND LEFT TANK POSITION WHEN REMOVED.
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: 841 hours in all; 541 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 734 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ONT Ontario CA at 9:26 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 3, 3,334 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:37 pm from SAC, 5 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.