Cessna 210L accident near Des Moines, Iowa, December 31, 1983
On December 31, 1983 at about 6:23 am local time, a Cessna 210L, registered N732DZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Des Moines, Iowa (Des Moines Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- December 31, 1983 · about 6:23 am local time
- Place
- Des Moines, Iowa · Des Moines Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210L · all 210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N732DZ · registry record · serial 210-61446
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT DEPARTED TORONTO, CANADA AT 1927 CST. ABOUT 5 HRS & 1 MIN LATER, THE ENG LOST POWER WHEN THE PLT WAS ON FINAL APCH FOR LANDING. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A VEHICLE & A LIGHT POLE WHEN THE PLT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A SNOW-COVERED PARKING LOT. DURING AN EXAM OF THE FUEL SYS, AN FAA INSPECTOR FOUND APRX 2 OUNCES OF FUEL IN THE LEFT FUEL TANK, 1 OUNCE IN THE RIGHT TANK & 3 OUNCES IN THE FUEL STRAINER. HE FOUND NO BROKEN FUEL LINES & NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SYPHONING.
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: 844 hours in all; 620 in this make and model; 77 in the last 90 days; 787 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,496 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 1983; 136 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ONT Toronto,Canada at 1:27 am
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 23, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 18°F (-8°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 am from DSM, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.