Cessna 210L accident near Lumberton, New Jersey, May 11, 1991
On May 11, 1991 at about 9:27 pm local time, a Cessna 210L, registered N732BU, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lumberton, New Jersey (Flying W airport). 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 AND THE RESULTANT INADVERTENT STALL. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LOOSE OIL FILTER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 1991 · about 9:27 pm local time
- Place
- Lumberton, New Jersey · Flying W
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210L · all 210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N732BU · no longer on the register · serial 21061394
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING AT 3500 FEET, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A HEAVY VIBRATION IN THE ENGINE AND WAS VECTORED TO A NEARBY AIRPORT. HE WAS HIGH AS HE TURNED ONTO FINAL APPROACH. HE RETRACTED THE WING FLAPS AND THE LANDING GEAR, AND ADDED POWER TO TRY FOR A NEARBY FIELD. THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESPOND AND HE LANDED HARD NEXT TO THE RUNWAY. WITNESS REPORTED THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO STALL FROM A HEIGHT OF 40 TO 50 FEET. POST-CRASH EXAMINATION REVEALED THE OIL SCREEN HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH AN OIL FILTER ADAPTER WHICH HAD COME LOOSE AND THE ENGINE OIL ESCAPED THROUGH THE OPENING. THE $4 CONNECTING ROD FAILED DUE TO OIL STARVATION AND PENETRATED THE ENGINE CASE. THE THREADS ON THE OIL FILTER ADAPTER WERE WORN AS WERE THE MATING THREADS ON THE OIL PUMP HOUSING.
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: 983 hours in all; 448 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,574 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 1991; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRE Myrtle Beach NC at 6:30 pm
- Destination: N52 Somerset NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 3,496 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.