Cessna T210N accident near Jasper, Florida, January 1, 1987
On January 1, 1987 at about 3:44 am local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N5498A, was destroyed in an accident near Jasper, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 6 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 1, 1987 · about 3:44 am local time
- Place
- Jasper, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5498A · no longer on the register · serial 21063471
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG FLT IN AN AREA OF IFR CONDITIONS & RAIN SHOWERS, THE PLT REQD & RECD CLNC TO DSCND FROM 9000' TO 7000'. LATER, HE RECD CLNC FOR FURTHER DSCNT TO 5000'. AFTER A FREQ CHG AT 2237 EST, THE PLT INQUIRED ABOUT RADAR INDCNS OF ADVERSE WXAHEAD. THE CTLR ADZD THAT THERE WAS SOME PRECIP IN THE AREA (NR GAINESVILLE) BUT THAT HIS ROUTE OF FLT LOOKED 'PRETTY GOOD.' AS THE ACFT CONTD, ITS ALT VARIED FM 4900' TO 5100' (AS INDCD BY THE MODE C TRANPONDER RETURN). AT 2242:53, THE MODE C REPLY INDCD 5100'; 12 SEC LATER, IT INDCD 5600'; AFTER ANOTHER 12 SEC, THE ALT REPLY HAD DECREASED TO 4300'; THENRADAR & RADIO CONTACT WERE LOST. AN AIR SEARCH WAS DELAYED DUE TO STRONG WIND & RAIN. THE WRECKAGE WAS FND ON 1/1/87 IN THE AREA WHERE RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF AN IN-FLT BREAK-UP. THE OUTBOARD PORTIONS OF THE HORIZONTALSTABILIZERS & WINGS HAD SEPD IN FLT. AN EXAM REVEALED THEY HAD SEPD DOWNWARD FM OVERLOAD FAILURE. PERSONS NR THE CRASH SITE RPRTD HVY RAIN & WIND WITH SOME LIGHTNING & THUNDER AT THE TIME OF THE ACDNT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,025 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 925 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,918 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 14, 1986; 345 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HSV Huntsville AL at 1:29 am
- Destination: ORL Orlando FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 020° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 am from VLD, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.