Cessna 210H accident near Marlborough, Connecticut, August 1, 1983
On August 1, 1983 at about 1:15 am local time, a Cessna 210H, registered N1968X, was destroyed in an accident near Marlborough, Connecticut (Somers airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- August 1, 1983 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Marlborough, Connecticut · Somers
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210H · all 210Hs on the register
- Registration
- N1968X · no longer on the register · serial 21058987
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND THE GROUND DURING AN APPROACH TO LAND ON A FOGGY NIGHT AT AN ARPT WITH NO INSTRUMENT APPROACH FACILITIES OR CONTROL. THE 67 YEAR OLD PLT HAD CANCELED HIS IFR FLT PLAN AT 2110 EDT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT 2115 EDT. THE PLT AND 2 PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. ONE PASSENGER ESCAPED WITH A BROKEN JAW, ELBOWS AND NOSE. HE WAS SEATED IN THE RIGHT REAR WITH SEAT BELT UNFASTENED AND REMEMBERS AWAKENING TO SEE THE RWY LIGHTS AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THE ACFT. HE STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND MAKING NO UNUSUAL NOISES. A FRIEND HAD TURNED THE ARPTLIGHTS ON AT ABOUT 2000 HRS EDT. A WITNESS SAID THERE WAS A LOW LEVEL GROUND FOG BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE STREETLIGHTS NEAR THE ARPT AT 2130 EDT. AT NEW HAVEN CT THE WEATHER WAS BELOW MINIMUMS. THE ACFT WAS APPROACHING RWY 17. THE HEADING OF ITS COLLISION PATH WAS 148 DEGREES. THE MAIN WRECKAGE CAME TO REST 900 FT FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RWY AND 270 FTEAST OF THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE.
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: 3,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,653 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 4, 1982; 62 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: ACK Nantucket MA
- Destination: 9B8 Marlborough CT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 2,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.