Cessna 210M accident near Morrisville, New York, May 11, 1985
On May 11, 1985 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Cessna 210M, registered N761MC, was destroyed in an accident near Morrisville, New York. 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
- May 11, 1985 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Morrisville, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210M · all 210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N761MC · no longer on the register · serial 21062355
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER T/O THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE, CONTINUED MANEUVERING AT A LOW ALTITUDE AND THE ENGINE QUIT DUE TO UNDETERMINED CAUSE. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO STRETCH THE GLIDE TO AN OPEN FIELD AND STALLED THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH MUSHED INTO THE GROUND AT THE EDGE OF THE FIELD. THERE WERE SEVERAL OPEN FIELDS & HIGHWAY NEARBY WHICH WERE SUITABLE FOR FORCED LANDING. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT FORCES AND A POST IMPACT FIRE.
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
- Flight time: 950 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: B24 Hamilton NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 pm from SYR, 23 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.