Cessna 210L accident near Great Falls, Montana, January 9, 2002
On January 9, 2002 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Cessna 210L, registered N1713X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Great Falls, Montana. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's intentional continuation of a visual flight rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and his failure to maintain clearance from the terrain. Factors include low ceilings, snow, mountainous/hilly terrain, and trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 9, 2002 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Great Falls, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210L · all 210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N1713X · no longer on the register · serial 21060735
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While attempting to fly through an area of mountainous/hilly terrain, the pilot encountered lowering ceilings and snow, and as he continued, got off of his planned course. Although he was initially able to remain below the clouds, he eventually entered an area where his attempts to maintain clearance from the terrain resulted in the aircraft entering the bottom portion of the cloud layer. Because he was having difficulty keeping visual contact with the terrain, he initiated a course-reversal turn. During the turn, the aircraft clipped a tree top, and then impacted a number of other trees. Prior to his departure, the pilot received two weather briefings. The briefing he received earlier in the day indicated his planned route would be VFR at the time of his departure. The briefing he received about 90 minutes prior to departure indicated that the route would be mostly VFR, but that there was an update that showed areas of possible mountain obscuration.
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: 1,447 hours in all; 486 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,369 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 3, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,487 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 8, 2001; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L8B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GTF Great Falls MT at 5:42 pm
- Destination: CYS Cheyenne WY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 0.5 statute miles
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°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.