Cessna T210L accident near Panama City, Florida, June 9, 1992
On June 9, 1992 at about 6:48 am local time, a Cessna T210L, registered N5123Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Panama City, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO ENRICH THE MIXTURE CONTROL DURING DESCENT, RESULTING IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND HIS IMPROPER ENGINE RESTART PROCEDURE WHICH RESULTED IN HIS BEING UNABLE TO GET THE ENGINE STARTED PRIOR TO AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 1992 · about 6:48 am local time
- Place
- Panama City, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210L · all T210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N5123Q · no longer on the register · serial 21059623
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT SAID A DSCNT FM 21,000' TO 2500' WAS MADE AT IDLE PWR. HE STATED HE BELIEVES HE HAD PUT THE MIXTURE TO RICH DRG DSCNT. WHILE ADDING PWR TO INTERCEPT THE GLIDESLOPE, THE PROP SOUNDED AS IF IT RAN AWAY. HE CONCLUDED AN ENG FAILURE OCCURRED, PLACED THE ELEC BOOST PUMP ON HI & ATMTD A RESTART. THE ENG FIRED SVRL TIMES, BUT DID NOT START. A FORCED LNDG WAS MADE IN A TREE FARM & THE ACFT NOSED OVER. AFTER THE ACDNT, FUEL STAINS WERE FND ON THE TOPS OF EACH WING NR THE FUEL CAPS; LARGE AREAS OF DIRT UNDER THE WINGS SMELLED OF FUEL. AFTER RCVRY, A FUEL SUPPLY WAS CONNECTED; THEN THE ENG WAS STARTED; IT OPERD WITH NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE PROP & PROP GOVERNOR WERE INSPECTED WITH NO ABNORMALITIES FND. THE ACFT HANDBOOK STATED THE MIXTURE SHOULD BE PLACED TO RICH FOR ALL IDLE POWER DSCNTS. HANDBOOK ALSO STATED THAT WHILE RESTARTING THE ENG IN FLT, THE ELEC BOOST PUMP SHOULD BE OPERD ON HI FOR 2-3 SEC, THEN PSND TO LOW. IF LEFT ON HI, THE ENG WOULD FLOOD, WHICH WOULD BE INDCD BY THE ENG FIRING SVRL TIMES, BUT NOT STARTING.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,875 hours in all; 201 in this make and model; 2,148 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,067 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 14, 1991; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R-CH (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ADS Addison TX at 3:35 am
- Destination: TMB Miami FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 900 ft; scat at 600 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 am from PAM, 17 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.
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.