Cessna T210N accident near Apalachicola, Florida, May 2, 1987
On May 2, 1987 at about 10:21 pm local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N4612C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Apalachicola, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- May 2, 1987 · about 10:21 pm local time
- Place
- Apalachicola, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4612C · no longer on the register · serial 21063574
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE DEPARTED PANAMA CITY EN ROUTE TO TAMPA, FL, WHEN THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE AND OIL PRESSURE STARTED TO DROP. HE THEN TURNED TOWARDS APALACHICOLA TO TRY TO MAKE IT TO THE AIRPORT BUT WAS UNABLE AND MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A SWAMPY AREA APRX 2 MILES FROM THE ARPT. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE #4 MAIN BEARING TURNED ON THE JOURNAL CAUSING OIL STARVATION TO THE CONNECTING RODS.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,467 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,128 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 11, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PFN Panama City FL at 9:50 pm
- Destination: X39 Tampa FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:02 pm from PFN, 50 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.
Other NTSB records under N4612C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.