Cessna T210H accident near Mount Hamilton, California, November 22, 1994
On November 22, 1994 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Cessna T210H, registered N2221R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mount Hamilton, California (Isabel Valley airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to obtain/maintain an adequate airspeed and inadvertent entry into a stall/mush condition during the initial climb due to frost on the airframe which impeded the airplane's climb performance. Contributing factors were the pilot's improper preflight inspection and inadequate frost removal procedures.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 1994 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Mount Hamilton, California · Isabel Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210H · all T210Hs on the register
- Registration
- N2221R · registry record · serial T210-0371
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT PARKED THE AIRPLANE OVERNIGHT IN 20-DEGREE FAHRENHEIT WEATHER, AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS AROUND 32 DEGREES THE FOLLOWING MORNING AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE. DURING THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, THE PILOT OBSERVED AN ACCUMULATION OF FROST ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. HE SCRAPED SOME OF IT OFF. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT OBSERVE FROST ELSEWHERE ON THE AIRPLANE, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO EXAMINE THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE WINGS. A PASSENGER STATED THAT HE OBSERVED FROST ON ALL EXPOSED UPPER AIRCRAFT SURFACES PRIOR TO THE TAKEOFF. DURING THE ENGINE RUN-UP AND THE GROUND ROLL PORTION OF THE TAKEOFF, ALL OF THE GAUGES INDICATED THAT NORMAL ENGINE OPERATION WAS BEING ACHIEVED. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT WHEN HE ROTATED, THE WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO 'GLAZE OVER,' AND BY THE TIME HE HAD CLIMBED TO 100 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL THE FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT ZERO. THE PILOT STATED HE THEN RAISED THE AIRPLANE NOSE FOR A FEW SECONDS IN ORDER TO BE CERTAIN OF CLEARING THE OBSTACLES WHICH HE KNEW WERE LOCATED AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE WAS AT STALL SPEED AND DESCENDED INTO THE TERRAIN ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY.
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
- Flight time: 751 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 694 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,468 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1994; 198 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SJC San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,000 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°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.
Other NTSB records under N2221R 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.