Cessna T210N accident near Superior, Arizona, July 9, 1992
On July 9, 1992 at about 2:50 pm local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N6483C, was destroyed in an accident near Superior, Arizona (Superior airport). It was a business 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
AN INADEQUATE MAJOR ENGINE OVERHAUL PROCEDURE, DURING WHICH PREVIOUS CRANKSHAFT DAMAGE WAS NOT DETECTED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A SURFACE INITIATED FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1992 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- Superior, Arizona · Superior
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6483C · no longer on the register · serial 21063900
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS ON A CROSS COUNTRY BUSINESS FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING ABOUT 250 FEET SHORT OF A DIRT AIRSTRIP. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT AND A POST IMPACT FIRE, AND THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A BROKEN CRANKSHAFT ON THE CRANKCHEEK ADJACENT TO THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER. THE CRANKSHAFT HAD BEEN REPLACED 42 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE CRANKSHAFT WAS SUPPLIED FROM AN ENGINE WITH AN ACCUMULATED TOTAL TIME OF ABOUT 1,000 HOURS OF OPERATION THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY SUSTAINED A SEPARATION OF THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER FROM THE ENGINE CASE. AFTER AN INSPECTION, THE CRANKSHAFT WAS DETERMINED TO BE SERVICEABLE AND INSTALLED IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE'S ENGINE. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED A HIGH CYCLE FATIGUE FAILURE CONSISTENT WITH SURFACE INITIATED CRACKING. A METALLURGICAL REPORT INDICATED THAT SURFACE CRACKING WOULD NOT BE EXPECTED IN THE AREA OF FAILURE UNLESS PRIOR DAMAGE TO THE SURFACE HAD OCCURRED.
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: 1,000 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,894 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 17, 1992; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SAD Safford AZ at 2:20 pm
- Destination: PHX Phoenix AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from IWA, 32 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.