Cessna T210M accident near Lexington, Kentucky, December 21, 1996
On December 21, 1996 at about 2:00 am local time, a Cessna T210M, registered N732UH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lexington, Kentucky (Blue Grass airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of #5 exhaust valve and/or #5 exhaust valve guide, which resulted in a progressive engine failure (debris puncturing the #5 piston crown, exhaust gasses entering the crankcase, loss of oil through the breather system, oil exhaustion, and subsequent damage to the engine bearings and connecting rods). Darkness and obstructions (vehicles) in the emergency landing area were related factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 21, 1996 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Lexington, Kentucky · Blue Grass · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210M · all T210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N732UH · registry record · serial 21061781
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Cessna 210 was cruising at 11,000 ft at night, when the engine began to run rough & lose power. The pilots attempted to fly to an airport with suitable services, but all engine power was lost. The pilots then performed a forced landing on a divided highway. During the landing, two vehicles were struck. Examination of the airplane & engine revealed oil on the underside of the fuselage & a hole on the top of the engine case. Further examination revealed the #5 exhaust valve guide had fractured just below the flange that seated the guide into the cylinder head, with evidence of fatigue. The #5 exhaust valve was fractured between the valve head & stem; but the cause of this fracture could not be determine due to impact damage to the fractured surfaces. The #5 intake valve was also partially broken, but fracture of this valve appeared to have been from overload, due to impact with debris inside the cylinder. Also, the #5 piston crown was found mutilated, & a hole was broken through the crown to the interior. Additionally, the main bearings and connecting rod bearings were damaged due to a lack of lubrication, and the #2 and #4 connecting rods had failed.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,775 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 1,690 as pilot in command; 1,150 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,924 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 31, 1996; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BHM Birmingham AL at 11:47 pm
- Destination: 22B Elyria OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22, 7,002 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 14°F (-10°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 am from LEX, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.