Cessna 210J accident near Groton, Connecticut, August 9, 1992
On August 9, 1992 at about 10:12 pm local time, a Cessna 210J, registered N6172F, was destroyed in an accident near Groton, Connecticut. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A FORCED LANDING IN UNSUITABLE TERRAIN AS A RESULT OF A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNKNOWN REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 1992 · about 10:12 pm local time
- Place
- Groton, Connecticut
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210J · all 210Js on the register
- Registration
- N6172F · no longer on the register · serial 21059072
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE AT A CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 6000 FEET THE ENGINE OIL TEMPERATURE BEGAN TO INCREASE. HE ASKED ATC FOR VECTORS TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. THE PILOT WAS VECTORED FOR AN ILS APPROACH BECAUSE OF LOW CEILINGS. ABOUT 8 NM FROM THE AIRPORT THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO AND THE ENGINE STOPPED COMPLETELY. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN THE OCEAN AND AFTER HE EVACUATED THE AIRPLANE IT SANK. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT RECOVERED FROM THE OCEAN AND THE REASON FOR THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 672 hours in all; 371 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 580 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 24, 1992; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BED Bedford MA at 9:25 pm
- Destination: FRG Farmingdale NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.