Cessna T210-L accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, July 30, 1985
On July 30, 1985 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Cessna T210-L, registered N15ES, was destroyed in an accident near Las Vegas, Nevada (None airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 1985 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210-L · all T210-Ls on the register
- Registration
- N15ES · registry record · serial 21060583
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT FAILED TO INSURE THAT ADEQUATE FUEL WAS AVAILABLE FOR THE FLIGHT. A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS WAS NOT DONE. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH GEAR DOWN AND FLAPS UP-CONTRARY TO THE RECOMMENDED PROCEDURE FOR FORCED LANDING ONTO ROUGH TERRAIN AS RECOMMENDED IN THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK. THE PILOT ALSO LANDED WITH A MODERATE TAILWIND INCREASING HIS GROUND SPEED BY AT LEAST 10 KNOTS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 964 hours in all; 141 in this make and model; 276 in the last 90 days; 840 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,613 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-H (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ABQ Albuquerque NM at 11:52 am
- Destination: VGT Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 17 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 am from LAS, 10 miles away
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.
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 SEA85LA186.