Cessna P210N accident near Louisville, Kentucky, April 6, 2008
On April 6, 2008 at about 6:56 pm local time, a Cessna P210N, registered N734JV, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Louisville, Kentucky (Bowman Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 2008 · about 6:56 pm local time
- Place
- Louisville, Kentucky · Bowman Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N734JV · no longer on the register · serial 236444
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At the end of a long cross country flight, while on a straight-in approach to the runway, the pilot was advised by the tower that there was another airplane in front of him, and to perform S-turns for spacing. Two witnesses then saw the airplane begin a nose-high left turn, then saw the left wing dip. One of the witnesses, a pilot waiting for departure, noted that the airplane was in the landing configuration with landing gear and flaps extended. It appeared that the airplane did not increase airspeed, yet the more it turned, the steeper the angle of bank became. The witness then saw the airplane enter a spin with the left wing low and the right wing high. The airplane made 1 1/2 revolutions before disappearing below a tree line. Tower controller observations were similar to those of the witnesses. Postcrash examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies.
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
What happened, in order
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,220 hours in all; 20 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: February 13, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,484 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 23, 2008
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors TSIO-520-P (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: RIL Rifle CO at 1:25 pm
- Destination: LOU Louisville KY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 06, 4,357 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from LOU, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.