Cessna T210N accident near Council, Idaho, August 28, 2000
On August 28, 2000 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N6993N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Council, Idaho. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the fatigue failure of the crankshaft due to improper overhaul procedures. Factors include a soft area in the field where the forced landing took place.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2000 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Council, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6993N · registry record · serial 21063202
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise flight, the turbocharged aircraft's manifold pressure began to drop. Although the engine continued to run smoothly, the pilot elected to divert to an alternate airport in order to check things out. When the aircraft was about four miles from the alternate airport, the engine began to run rough, and ultimately ceased producing power. Although the pilot was able to touch down in an open field short of the airport, during the landing roll, the nose wheel encountered an area that had been softened by irrigation, and the aircraft nosed over. During the investigation it was determined that the crankshaft failed due to fatigue crack initiation in the number two main journal cheek. Further inspection revealed that a sealant had been applied to the mating faces of the main bearing saddles the last time the engine was overhauled. Application of this sealant, which is not called for in the engine overhaul manual, lead to a loss of proper crankcase clamping pressure in the area of the main bearing saddle through-bolts. Loss of this pressure resulted in bearing shift and scoring of the crankshaft journal.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,800 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 6,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,420 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2000; 91 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1S7 Slate Creek ID at 5:00 pm
- Destination: BOI Boise ID
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N6993N the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA00LA173.