Cessna T210L accident near Oakland, California, November 21, 1998
On November 21, 1998 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna T210L, registered N9222T, was destroyed in an accident near Oakland, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot-in-command's inadequate fuel management which led to fuel starvation and subsequent loss of engine power. Also causal was the pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude and his ostentatious display.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 21, 1998 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Oakland, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210L · all T210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N9222T · no longer on the register · serial 21060346
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger departed on a cross-country flight. The flight reached the destination airport; however, due to fog and low stratus clouds the pilot diverted to another airport for lunch. On the return trip air traffic control (ATC) observed an unidentified aircraft circle a coliseum in class 'B' airspace during a major football game. Two pilot witnesses at the game observed the same make and model airplane over the coliseum 500/700 feet above ground level near the accident time. It then proceeded towards another major airport located in class 'C' airspace when the transponder was observed to quit operating about 5 miles from that airport. The airplane was then tracked as a primary target until radar contact was lost. The accident airplane crashed into a high school cafeteria about 2.25 miles northeast of Oakland International Airport. Two witness statements were obtained from persons at the Castlemont School. One reported hearing the engine cutting on and off as he watched it collide with the building. The other witness heard no engine sound and also watched it collide with the building. The pilot stated that his passenger had gotten into the rear seat while in-flight to photograph the coliseum football game. The passenger was not wearing a seat belt and neither wore shoulder harnesses at the time of accident. The last thing that the pilot recalled was asking his passenger if she could read the scoreboard. When asked how high he was flying, the pilot stated 5,500 feet mean sea level. Examination of the radios revealed the transponder was off and both communication radios were on Unicom frequencies. According to on scene emergency service personnel, there was fuel venting or running from the airplane in a steady stream. The local fire department foamed the accident area.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,392 hours in all; 89 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 1,163 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,020 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1998; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-H (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 069 Petaluma CA at 10:30 pm
- Destination: WV1 Watsonville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,100 ft; scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:24 pm from OAK, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.