Cessna T210N accident near Lake Hughes, California, February 26, 1992
On February 26, 1992 at about 4:17 pm local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N9YT, was destroyed in an accident near Lake Hughes, California. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
POOR MAINTENANCE REPAIR AND ANNUAL INSPECTION BY THE COMPANY'S MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL AND THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S MISJUDGING ALTITUDE. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND INTENTIONAL STALL, IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURE, SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING AND THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 26, 1992 · about 4:17 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Hughes, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N9YT · registry record · serial 21063474
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS ON A U.S. NAVY MISSION AND FLOWN BY A NAVY AVIATOR; ANOTHER NAVY AVIATOR OCCUPIED THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. WHILE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN THE ENGINE SUSTAINED A CATASPHROPHIC CRANKSHAFT FAILURE. THE PILOT ELECTED TO PROCEED TOWARDS HIGHER TERRAIN BYPASSING LOWER AND MORE SUITIBLE EMERGENCY LANDING AREAS. INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE RIGHT SEAT OCCUPANT, A MORE EXPERIENCED PILOT, AND THE PIC INDICATED THEY PLANNED TO STALL THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO LANDING ON AN UPWARD SLOPING MOUNTAIN RIDGE. THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE ALTITUDE AND STALLED THE AIRPLANE. BOTH PILOTS WERE KILLED. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT FAILED DUE TO INADEQUATE TORQUE OF THE THROUGH BOLTS CAUSING FRETTING AND GALLING ON THE CRANKCASE HALVES. THE ENGINE HAD ACCURED 618 HOURS SINCE MAJOR OVERHAUL AND HAD EXPERIENCED 7 VACCUM PUMP FAILURES DUE TO MISALIGNMENT OF THE CRANKSHAFT DRIVE GEAR. THE THROUGH BOLTS WERE REMOVED BY THE OPERATOR TO REPAIR THE NO. 3 ROSAN STUD 322 HOURS BEFORE THE CRANKSHAFT FAILED.
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: 370 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,344 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 4, 1992; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Channel Island Aviation, INC
The flight
- Departed from: NTD Pt Mugu CA at 3:47 pm
- Destination: NID China Lake CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX92GA128.