Cessna 210L accident near Rhinebeck, New York, November 6, 1983
On November 6, 1983 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 210L, registered N1177Q, was destroyed in an accident near Rhinebeck, New York (Sky Park airport). 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
- November 6, 1983 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Rhinebeck, New York · Sky Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210L · all 210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N1177Q · no longer on the register · serial 21059677
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ABOVE REPORTED BASIC WX DATA WAS THE 2050 OBSERVATION AT POUGHKEEPSIE, NY LOCATED ABOUT 20 NM SOUTH OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. HOWEVER, A WITNESS WHO WAS 1,000 FT NORTH OF THE ACCIDENT SITE STATED THE WX CONSISTED OF A LOW OVERCAST & THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS CLOSE TO ZERO. HE OBSERVED THE ACFT PASS OVERHEAD THREE TIMES AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL & SAW THE ACFT'S LIGHTS PARTIALLY HIDDEN IN FOG. THE ACFT THEN EMERGED OUT OF THE FOG IN A RIGHT TURN & DESCENDED TO THE GROUND. A PILOT REPORTED THAT THE SKY WAS CLEAR ABOUT 15 MI SOUTH OF THE ARPT BUT AT 10 MI SOUTH OF THE ARPT THE WX DROPPED TO 2,000 FT OVERCAST WITH 5-7 MI VISIBILITY IN LIGHT DRIZZLE.
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
- Flight time: 164 hours in all; 100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 46N Rhinebeck ME at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from POU, 22 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.