Cessna 210L accident near Lake City, Florida, January 4, 1986
On January 4, 1986 at about 6:14 pm local time, a Cessna 210L, registered N73SN, was destroyed in an accident near Lake City, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 4, 1986 · about 6:14 pm local time
- Place
- Lake City, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210L · all 210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N73SN · no longer on the register · serial 21059930
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO DEPARTURE ON A VFR FLIGHT FROM FLORIDA TO MICHIGAN THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT DID NOT OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING. 53 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE THE PILOT CONTACTED JACKSONVILLE ARTCC AND REPORTED HE HAD FLOWN VFR INTO THE CLOUDS AND WAS HAVING TROUBLE CONTROLLING THE AIRCRAFT. ATC ATTEMPTED TO GET THE AIRCRAFT TO A CLEAR AREA BUT BEFORE THEY COULD THE PLT REPORTED HE WAS DESCENDING AND UPSIDE DOWN. THIS WAS THE LAST RADIO CONTACT. WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING THE AIRCRAFT MANUEVERING AND DIVING FOLLOWED BY AN EXPLOSION AND THE SOUND OF FALLING DEBRIS. AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH THE WEATHER WAS REPORTED AS VERY RAINY. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT WRECKAGE REVEALED THE RIGHT WING FAILED DUE TO PLT OVERLOAD AND THEN STRUCK THE TAIL SEVERING IT. AFTER THIS THE FUSELAGE TRAVELED ANOTHER 1/2 MILE. EXAMINATION OF PILOT RECORDS REVEALED HE HAD A TOTAL OF 1.2 HOURS OF SIMULATED INSTRUMENT TIME, THE LAST .2 BEING ON HIS PRIVATE PLT CHECKRIDE 18 MONTHS BEFORE THE CRASH.
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
- Flight time: 299 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 254 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,547 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 9, 1985; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X41 New Port Richey FL at 5:15 pm
- Destination: 76G Marine City MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from VLD, 40 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.