Cessna T210K accident near Bellevue, Washington, July 24, 1987
On July 24, 1987, a Cessna T210K, registered N5768J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bellevue, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 1987
- Place
- Bellevue, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210K · all T210Ks on the register
- Registration
- N5768J · registry record · serial 210-59468
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TKOF, THE PLT LEVELED AT ABOUT 1500' & ADJUSTED THE PWR TO A LOW CRUISE SETTING. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE ENG BGN MISSING & SUBSEQUENTLY LOST ALL PWR. THE PLT FOLLOWED THE EMERG PROCEDURES, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENG. HE MANUEVERED THE ACFT TO LAND ON A GOLF COURSE, BUT DELAYED EXTENDING THE LANDING GEAR TO CLEAR OVER PWR LINES & TREES. AFTER CLEARING THE OBSTRUCTIONS, HE LOWERED THE GEAR SWITCH, BUT THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN BEFORE THE GEAR WAS FULLY EXTENDED. A CHECK OF THE ENG REVEALED THE MAGNETOS WERE NOT PROVIDING IGNITION. EVIDENCE OF CARBON TRACKING WAS PRESENT IN BOTH MAGNETOS. WHEN THE MAGNETOS WERE CHECKED, A SPARK WAS OBSERVED ARCING ACROSS THE MAGNETO BARS. THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED THE MAGNETOS (SLICK MODEL 622R) BE SERVICED EACH 500 HRS. THE MAGS IN THIS ACFT HAD A TOTAL FLT TIME OF 556 HRS SINCE INSTALLATION.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,860 hours in all; 58 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 2,054 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,277 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 11, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RTN Renton WA
- Destination: S19 Friday Harbor WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.