Cessna T210L accident near California Valy, California, January 15, 1994
On January 15, 1994, a Cessna T210L, registered N5211V, was substantially damaged in an accident near California Valy, California (California Valley airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 15, 1994
- Place
- California Valy, California · California Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210L · all T210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N5211V · registry record · serial 21060861
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft owner was enrolled in a pilot refresher training course and said that the flight instructor had him land at the airstrip in order to practice soft field operations. The pilot noted that during the takeoff ground roll the aircraft veered left off the narrow runway and struck a metal fence post with the left horizontal stabilizer. The owner said the fence posts were only about 10 to 15 feet from the edge of the 40 foot wide runway. The flight instructor stated that, because the pilot applied power slowly, he looked down to see just exactly what power level was set. When he looked up again, the aircraft was heading off the runway to the left toward the fence posts. The instructor reported that he took control of the aircraft as it collided with a post, regained directional control, and completed the takeoff. After an inflight damage assessment, the instructor landed the aircraft at the airstrip.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,600 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,872 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 25, 1993; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SMX Santa Maria CA at 10:15 pm
- Destination: SMX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,000 ft by 44 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.