Cessna 210M accident near Palo Alto, California, December 11, 1991
On December 11, 1991 at about 2:08 am local time, a Cessna 210M, registered N761VB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palo Alto, California. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO A PARTIAL BLOCKAGE OF THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WITH DEBRIS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 1991 · about 2:08 am local time
- Place
- Palo Alto, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210M · all 210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N761VB · no longer on the register · serial 62543
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT WAS BEGINNING A POSITIONING FLIGHT AS THE FIRST LEG OF AN AIR TAXI FLIGHT. ABOUT 4 SECONDS AFTER DEPARTURE AND AT ABOUT 150 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE IN A MARSH AREA, ABOUT 3/4 MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. AFTER RECOVERY, THE ENGINE WAS PLACED ON A TEST STAND AND WAS STARTED. THE ENGINE RAN AT IDLE AND 2100 RPM. LOW FUEL FLOW WAS NOTICED FROM THE FUEL STRAINER. DISASSEMBLY OF THE FUEL SELECTOR REVEALED SMALL PORTIONS OF RUBBER, PARTIALLY BLOCKING THE LEFT FUEL TANK POSITION.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,764 hours in all; 289 in this make and model; 111 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 6,545 as pilot in command; 4,427 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,663 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 1991; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L-3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: CCR Concord CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:30 am from PAO, 1 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.