Cessna T-210 accident near St. Helena, California, June 1, 1991
On June 1, 1991 at about 4:10 am local time, a Cessna T-210, registered N3Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Helena, California (Inglenook airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THAT THE PILOT EXECUTED A POORLY PLANNED APPROACH AND FAILED TO ATTAIN A PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT AND DELAYED THE GO-AROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 1991 · about 4:10 am local time
- Place
- St. Helena, California · Inglenook
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T-210 · all T-210s on the register
- Registration
- N3Z · no longer on the register · serial 61085
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS COMPLETING A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT AND WAS LANDING ON A SHORT ASPHALT SURFACE RUNWAY. THE PILOT LANDED LONG AND THEN ATTEMPTED TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND, BUT DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR BECAME ENTANGLED WITH A STEEL CABLE AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO ABRUPTLY GO OUT OF CONTROL. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST ABOUT 100 YARDS BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,125 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 1,245 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no 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-520H (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L67 Rialto CA at 1:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 1,700 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.