Cessna P210 accident near Waterloo, Iowa, October 15, 1989
On October 15, 1989 at about 1:10 am local time, a Cessna P210, registered N47DB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waterloo, Iowa (East Waterloo airport). It was a business 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
FUEL EXHAUSTION, DUE TO POOR PLANNING/DECISION, AND FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS MISJUDGED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. THE FACT THAT THE RUNWAY LIGHTS WERE NOT OPERATING & THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT NIGHT WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 1989 · about 1:10 am local time
- Place
- Waterloo, Iowa · East Waterloo · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210 · all P210s on the register
- Registration
- N47DB · registry record · serial 21000749
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A NIGHT, BUSINESS, CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT SAID THAT THE ENGINE QUIT ABOUT 8 MILES FROM HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE DESTINATION AIRPORT CONTROL TOWER VECTORED HIM TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT, ABOUT 3 MILES FROM HIS POSITION. THE RUNWAY LIGHTS ON THE GRASS STRIP WERE OPERATED MANUALLY AND HAD BEEN TURNED OFF. THE PLT SAID HE GUESSED AT THE LOCATION OF THE AIRSTRIP DUE TO FAMILIARITY WITH THE AREA. THE ACFT HIT A FENCE AND CAME TO REST AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL TANKS TO BE EMPTY OF USABLE FUEL.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,935 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-P (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Gateway Financial Services,Inc
The flight
- Departed from: 3SQ St. Charles MO at 11:45 pm
- Destination: ALO Waterloo IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 14,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Observation at 1:10 am from ALO, 10 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.
Other NTSB records under N47DB 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.