Cessna T210L accident near Temple Bar, Arizona, January 13, 1992
On January 13, 1992 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Cessna T210L, registered N22592, was destroyed in an accident near Temple Bar, Arizona (Temple Bar airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were killed and 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE TURBOCHARGER'S TURBINE SHAFT DUE TO INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE, AND THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION AFTER EXPERIENCING A TURBOCHARGER FAILURE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE LACK OF INFORMATION IN THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK CONCERNING TURBOCHARGER FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 1992 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Temple Bar, Arizona · Temple Bar · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210L · all T210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N22592 · no longer on the register · serial 21059763
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT SAID THAT DRG DSCNT FM 10,500 FT, THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE DROPPED TO 18 INCHES. HE DECIDED TO LND AT A NRBY ARPT. WHILE DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM, HE TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP & THE ENG LOST MORE PWR. THE COCKPIT BGN TO FILL WITH SMOKE. THE PLT SECURED THE ENG & TURNED THE ELEC SYS OFF. HE BGN A PWR-OFF DSCNT OVR THE ARPT & MANUALLY EXTENDED THE LNDG GEAR. HE THOUGHT HE WAS TOO HIGH, SO HE TURNED THE BATTERY 'ON' TO LOWER THE FLAPS. WITH ELEC PWR RESTORED, THE LNDG GEAR RETURNED TO THE 'UP' PSN. THE PLT AGAIN LOWERED THE LNDG GEAR. UNABLE TO REACH THE RWY, HE TRIED TO RE-START THE ENG ON FINAL APCH, BUT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT IMPACTED AN UP SLOPE ABOUT 300 FT SHORT OF THE RWY & CRASHED. AN EXAM OF THE TURBOCHARGER REVEALED THE TURBINE SHAFT FAILED DUE TO MULTIPLE FATIGUE CRACKS. ABOUT 125 FLT HRS BEFORE THE FAILURE, THE TURBINE SHAFT HAD BEEN REWORKED (GROUND & CHROMIUM PLATED), BUT NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS. TURBOCHARGER MALFUNCTION WAS NOT ADDRESSED IN THE POH.
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: 2,039 hours in all; 74 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 1,907 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,495 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 5, 1992; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-H (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Vegas
The flight
- Departed from: GCN Grand Canyon AZ at 10:10 pm
- Destination: L15 Las Vegas NV
- Runway 18, 3,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N22592 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.