Cessna 210A accident near Salinas, California, July 25, 1993
On July 25, 1993 at about 3:28 am local time, a Cessna 210A, registered N9520X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salinas, California (Salinas airport). It was a personal 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 undetermined loss of engine power during the final approach phase of landing resulting in a collision with terrain during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 1993 · about 3:28 am local time
- Place
- Salinas, California · Salinas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210A · all 210As on the register
- Registration
- N9520X · no longer on the register · serial 21057820
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS RETURNING TO HIS POINT OF DEPARTURE AFTER A CROSS COUNTRY TRIP OF ABOUT 500 NAUTICAL MILES. WHILE ON A STRAIGHT-IN LANDING APPROACH ABOUT 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING SHORT OF THE RUNWAY IN SOFT TERRAIN. THE NOSE GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR AND FUSELAGE WERE DAMAGED. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT WHEN PLACED ON A TEST STAND, IT FUNCTIONED NORMALLY.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,342 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 1,280 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,670 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 22, 1993; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAT Fresno CA at 2:20 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,825 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:52 am from SNS, 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.
Other NTSB records under N9520X the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.