Cessna T210R accident near Eli, Nebraska, March 12, 1985
On March 12, 1985, a Cessna T210R, registered N6101U, was destroyed in an accident near Eli, Nebraska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- March 12, 1985
- Place
- Eli, Nebraska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210R · all T210Rs on the register
- Registration
- N6101U · no longer on the register · serial 21064900
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE TAKEOFF OR THE ACCIDENT. A FLT PLAN WAS NOT FILED AND NO RADAR DATA ON THE FLT WAS FOUND.THE OWNER OF N6101U ESTIMATED THE TAKEOFF TIME TO BE 2130 CST, MAR. 12 AND THE PLT TOLD THE OWNER HE WAS GOING TO UTAH. THE WRECKAGE OF N6101U WAS FOUND AT 1500 CST, MAR. 13 IN A SPARSLEY POPULATED SANDHILL AREA OF NW NEBRASKA. THE ACCIDENTSITE IS 180 NM N OF A DIRECT ROUTE FROM THE DEPARTURE ARPT AND THE PROBABLE DESTINATION. THE MAIN WRECKAGE WAS SCATTEREDOVER AN AREA 400' X 150' SE OF AN IMPACT CRATER WHICH WAS 3' DEEP AND 10' IN DIAMETER. THE LEFT HINGED WINDOW AND THE RUDDER WERE FOUND BETWEEN 1 AND 2 MI S OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE.METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS FOR THE ACCIDENT AREA FOR THE EVENING OF MAR. 12 AND EARLY MORNING OF MAR. 13 INCLUDED LOW CLOUDS AND SNOW SHOWERS. THE PLT HAD LOGGED 18 HRS FLT TIMEIN THE PAST TWO YEARS AND 2 HOURS OF INSTRUMENT TIME IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS. NO NIGHT TIME WAS LOGGED DURING THE LAST YEAR.
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: 531 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 420 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 20 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 13, 1985; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-CE (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 31P
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 5,000 ft; not recorded at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:30 pm
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.
Other NTSB records under N6101U the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.