Cessna T210F accident near Tallahassee, Florida, January 7, 1987
On January 7, 1987 at about 4:48 pm local time, a Cessna T210F, registered N6184R, was destroyed in an accident near Tallahassee, Florida (Tallahassee Commerical airport). It was a business 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 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 7, 1987 · about 4:48 pm local time
- Place
- Tallahassee, Florida · Tallahassee Commerical
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210F · all T210Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6184R · no longer on the register · serial T210-0084
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT/OWNER WAS INFORMED BY MECHANICS THAT THE ACFT FUEL TANKS HAD WATER CONTAMINATION ON TWO OCCURRENCES PRIOR TO TEST FLIGHTS. THE PLT REPORTED HE AHD HAD WATER CONTAMINATION AND BELIEVED THE FUEL CAPS WERE LEAKING. NEW CAPS WERE ORDERED TO BE INSTALLED AT THE NEST ANNUAL INSPECION. PRIOR TO THE NEW CAPS BEING INSTALLED THE ACFT SAT OUT IN RAIN. THE PLT DRAINED THE FUEL TANK SUMP DRAINS AND THEN DEPARTED ON A FLIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND QUIT AND THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES WHILE ATTEMPTING A FORCED LDG. POST CRASH INSPECTION REVEALED THE ENGINE FUEL SYSTEM TO CONTAIN WATER. THE FUEL TANK CAPS WERE FOUND TO HAVE DETERIORATED SEALS AND LEAKING AND THE FUEL RESEVOIR TANKS WERE FOUND TO HAVE SCREW IN PLUGS RATHER THAN QUICK DRAIN PLUGS. THE FUEL STRAINER AND MIXTURE CONTROL VALVE FINGER SCREEN WERE FOUND TO HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF CORROSION BUILD UP. NO WRINKLES WERE FOUND IN THE FUEL TANK BLADDERS. DRG THE LNG SLIDE THE FRONT OF THE ACFT ENTERED THE WATER OF THE OCHLOCKNEE RIVER WITH THE TAIL ON THE RIVER B
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: 800 hours in all; 144 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 750 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,657 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 24, 1986; 144 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-C1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SGJ St.Augustine FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:48 pm from TLH, 10 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.