Cessna 210K accident near Watsonville, California, December 22, 1991
On December 22, 1991 at about 1:50 am local time, a Cessna 210K, registered N1999R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watsonville, California (Watsonville Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE FUEL CALCULATION AND FAILURE TO SERVICE THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL TANKS WITH ADEQUATE QUANTITIES OF FUEL TO COMPETE THE FIGHTS. THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER RESULTING FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION WAS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 22, 1991 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Watsonville, California · Watsonville Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210K · all 210Ks on the register
- Registration
- N1999R · registry record · serial 21059270
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER SERVICING THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL TANKS WITH A REDUCED FUEL LOAD THE PILOT TOOK OFF FOR FIVE FLIGHTS. AS THE AIRPLANE BEGAN ITS FOURTH LANDING THE ENGINE FAILED AFTER FOUR HOURS OF FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH SOME TRANSMISSION LINES AND LANDED OFF THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT FAILED TO ADEQUATELY PERFORM THE FUEL CALCULATIONS AND SERVICE THE AIRPLANE BEFORE DEPARTING ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,462 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 122 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 2,275 as pilot in command; 1,271 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,370 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 20, 1991; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-570-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mercer Aviation, INC
The flight
- Departed from: RNO Reno NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 4,501 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.