Cessna 210M accident near Corning, California, July 22, 1996
On July 22, 1996 at about 5:35 pm local time, a Cessna 210M, registered N6002N, was destroyed in an accident near Corning, California (Red Bluff airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
improper installation of an electrical component, during an alteration of the aircraft electrical system; and subsequent electrical insulation failure, which resulted in electrical shorting, arcing, and an electrical fire. Factors relating to the accident were: inadequate maintenance record keeping (by not filing FAA Form 337), smoke in the cabin, and the resultant restriction of the pilot's vision, which impeded his ability to control the airplane as it neared the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 1996 · about 5:35 pm local time
- Place
- Corning, California · Red Bluff · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210M · all 210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N6002N · registry record · serial 210-62871
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported an in-flight electrical problem to air traffic control and requested a descent for an immediate landing at the next airport. The airplane was seen descending and emanating smoke from the cabin until it crashed about 12 miles from the airport. Examination of the airplane revealed evidence of an in-flight fire. The interior of the airplane's cabin had evidence of fire on the flight controls and heavy smoke accumulation. Portions of the airplane's windshield were no longer translucent due to sooting on the interior surfaces. The source of fire was traced to a 100-amp inductive noise filter mounted directly to the airplane's firewall. There was evidence of an electrical insulation failure between an electrical terminal and the steel case of the filter. The filter was not marked as an FAA approved part and was not listed in the manufacturer's parts catalog. The airplane's electrical system had been altered with installation of a filter on the alternator output 3.5 years before the accident. There was no circuit protection or isolation mount for the 100-amp filter. The repair station that performed the work did not file an FAA Form 337. The airplane had a history of maintenance performed on the electrical system since the installation of the filter. The maintenance also included the completion of annual inspections and one repair station had replaced the 100-amp filter with another used filter.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 455 hours in all; 305 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 385 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 996 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 22, 1996; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VIS Visalia CA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: 3S2 Aurora OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from CIC, 19 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.
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.