Cessna 210A accident near Palm Harbor, Florida, May 25, 1990
On May 25, 1990 at about 7:05 pm local time, a Cessna 210A, registered N6697X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palm Harbor, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE IMPROPER LEANING OF THE FUEL/AIR MIXTURE RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO EXCESSIVE INTERNAL ENGINE TEMPERATURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 1990 · about 7:05 pm local time
- Place
- Palm Harbor, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210A · all 210As on the register
- Registration
- N6697X · no longer on the register · serial 21057697
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE FLT DEPARTED AFTER A NORMAL ENG RUN-UP WITH COWL FLAPS OPEN. DURING NORMAL CRUISE FLT, HE LEANED THE MIXTURE TO 50 DEGS RICH OF PEAK, BUT WHILE RETURNING TO LAND, HE OBSERVED THE EGT GAUGE INDICATE PAST THE MAXIMUM RED LINE LIMIT. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE ENG BEGAN 'FALTERING.' HE PUSHED THE MIXTURE TO FULL RICH, REPOSITIONED THE FUEL SELECTOR, TURNED THE ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP SWITCH TO HIGH, AND REPOSITIONED THE MAG SWITCH FROM BOTH TO LEFT, RIGHT, THEN BACK TO BOTH WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. AFTER TOUCHDOWN IN A FIELD DURING THE FORCED LANDING, THE ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE ENG OPERATED NORMALLY DURING THE POST-ACCIDENT ENG RUN. EACH MAGNETO WAS CORRECTLY TIMED. THE POSITION OF THE COWL FLAPS AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE & PRIOR TO THE ENG FAILURE COULD NOT BE VERIFIED.
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: 2,200 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PIE St Petersburg FL at 6:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:50 pm from PIE, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.