Cessna 210L accident near Glendale, Arizona, September 3, 1996
On September 3, 1996 at about 1:59 am local time, a Cessna 210L, registered N99NV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Glendale, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to the pilot's mismanagement of the fuel system, which resulted in fuel starvation. The passenger's action, which restricted the pilot's ability to control the aircraft, was a factor in this accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 1996 · about 1:59 am local time
- Place
- Glendale, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210L · all 210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N99NV · registry record · serial 210-59947
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The engine lost power during cruise. The pilot switched tanks several times but was unable to restart or keep the engine running. During his subsequent attempted forced landing, he reported that his rear seat passenger grabbed him and his wife. The pilot said that due to the passenger grabbing him he flared high and stalled the aircraft. A postaccident inspection found the fuel selector handle on the right main tank. The left fuel tank contained 6.0 gallons while the right contained 2.5 gallons. That amount included 1.5 gallons of unusable fuel in each tank. Following recovery, the aircraft was rigged for a ground run of the engine and partially refueled. The engine was started and responded to throttle changes while the engine instruments showed normal indications.
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
What happened, in order
- LOSS OF ENGINE POWER(TOTAL) - NONMECHANICAL during cruise
- FORCED LANDING during emergency descent/landing
- LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT during emergency descent/landing
- HARD LANDING during landing - flare/touchdown
- GEAR COLLAPSED during landing - flare/touchdown
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, APLN, none
- Flight time: 845 hours in all; 175 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 696 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 3
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,336 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, March 3, 1996; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L3A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: 67L Mesquite NV at 11:52 pm
- Destination: P19 Chandler AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scattered at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 95°C, dew point 46°C
- Altimeter: 29 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from LUF, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX96LA325.