Cessna T210N accident near Georgetown, California, June 24, 1992
On June 24, 1992, a Cessna T210N, registered N9933N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Georgetown, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE UNDER TORQUE OF THE CRANKCASE THROUGH BOLTS DURING OVERHAUL CAUSING; 1) THE NUMBER 2 MAIN BEARING TO SPIN, 2) THE RESULTANT BLOCKAGE OF THE INTERNAL OIL PASSAGE, AND 3) THE OIL STARVATION INDUCED FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 2 CONNECTING ROD AND CAP. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNSUITABLE NATURE OF THE TERRAIN WHICH MADE A SUCCESSFUL FORCED LANDING IMPOSSIBLE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1992
- Place
- Georgetown, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N9933N · no longer on the register · serial 21063255
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE WAS IN CRUISE AT 10,500 FEET WHEN THE OIL PRESSURE WENT TO ZERO AND THE OIL TEMPERATURE ROSE. THE ENGINE QUIT SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE AIRCRAFT THEN COLLIDED WITH GROUND OBSTRUCTIONS DURING A UPHILL FORCED LANDING ATTEMPT IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. EXTERNAL EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER 2 CONNECTING ROD HAD FAILED AND WAS STICKING UP THROUGH THE CASE. INTERNAL EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER 2 MAIN BEARING HAD SPUN IN THE JOURNAL, WITH SEVERE ABRASION NOTED UNDER THE BEARING INSERTS. THE OIL CHANNEL IN THE NUMBER 2 MAIN BEARING JOURNAL WAS FOUND TOTALLY PLUGGED WITH METAL PARTICLES. PROGRESSIVE HEAT DISCOLORATION AND COMPONENT DISTRESS WAS FOUND DOWNSTREAM IN THE OILING PATH OF THE NUMBER 2 MAIN BEARING. THE ENGINE AND BEARINGS WAS EXAMINED BY A TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE FROM CONTINENTAL ENGINES WHO OPINED THAT THE BEARING HAD BEEN INTERMITTENTLY SPINNING ON THE JOURNAL FOR 10 HOURS AND THAT THE FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 2 CONNECTING ROD WAS DUE TO OIL STARVATION CAUSED BY THE RESTRICTIONS IN THE OIL PATH. HE STATED THAT THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE OF THE BEARING SPIN CONDITION WAS UNDER TORQUE OF THE CASE THROUGH BOLTS AT THE NUMBER 2 MAIN BEARING AREA. THE ENGINE WAS OVERHAULED 70 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,400 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,721 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 26, 1991; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Glacier Ice Company, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: TRK Truckee CA at 11:00 pm
- Destination: LVK Livermore CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 22,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.