Cessna 210M accident near Meridian, Mississippi, April 26, 1996
On April 26, 1996 at about 8:35 pm local time, a Cessna 210M, registered N722PD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Meridian, Mississippi. 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
previous engine damage; failure of the pilot of the previous flight to report to the operator and/or mechanics that the engine had been operated with low (or no) oil pressure; inadequate maintenance/inspection after most of the oil had leaked from the engine oil system during the previous flight; oil starvation; and subsequent failure of the #5 connecting rod. Factors relating to the accident were: the previous oil filter leak and loss of oil pressure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 1996 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Meridian, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210M · all 210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N722PD · registry record · serial 21061664
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who had previously flown the airplane, reported that he had an oil leak and landed at Meridian. He found oil on the engine cowling behind the propeller, and thought the propeller oil seal was leaking. He added 2 quarts of oil, and took off on another flight. During climb-out, the oil pressure dropped below the red line, and the pilot returned to Meridian and landed after about a 10 to 15 minute flight. He did not inform the owners or mechanics that he had operated the engine with low oil pressure, while returning to the airport. Mechanics found a cracked oil cooler. They replaced the oil cooler and added about 8 quarts of oil to fill the engine to 9 quarts. Another pilot went to Meridian to ferry the plane back to the home base. He reported that during the climb after departure, the engine began to vibrate and loose power. He turned back, but did not have enough power to reach the airport. The engine seized, and during an emergency landing, the aircraft encountered a ditch and nosed over. Postcrash examination of the engine showed the #5 connecting rod had failed due to damage from oil starvation. The other connecting rod bearings also showed indications of oil starvation, and debris was found in the oil pump and filter.
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: 391 hours in all; 29 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 305 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,940 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 14, 1996; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEI at 8:30 pm
- Destination: OLV Olive Branch MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:37 pm from MEI, 1 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.