Cessna T210N accident near Burns, Oregon, March 2, 1988
On March 2, 1988 at about 3:15 am local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N5427A, was destroyed in an accident near Burns, Oregon. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. 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
- March 2, 1988 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Burns, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5427A · no longer on the register · serial 21063431
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE QUIT DURING CRUISE FLT ON A BRIGHT MOONLIT NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLT AT 8000 FT AGL, 28 NM WEST OF BURNS, OR. THE PILOT REVERSED COURSE IN AN EMERGENCY DESCENT AND FOLLOWED A STRAIGHT 50 FT WIDE HWY TOWARD BURNS. AT APPROX 500 FT. AGL THE PILOT OBSERVED THE ROAD WINDING INTO LOW HILLS AND DECIDED TO REVERSE COURSE AGAIN TO LAND ON THE ROAD TO THE WEST. HE WAS UNABLE TO LINE UP WITH THE ROAD DUE TO LOW LEVEL MANEUVERING TO AVOID HILLS. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED SOFT DESERT TERRAIN 100 FT. FROM THE ROAD AND NOSED OVER. LAB EXAM OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT REVEALED A SURFACE ORIGIN HIGH CYCLE FATIGUE FRACTURE. THE CRANKSHAFT DID NOT HAVE AD 87-23-08 COMPLIED WITH.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,284 hours in all; 468 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1,228 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1988; 6 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: BYI Burley ID at 1:10 am
- Destination: EUG Eugene OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 am from RDM, 90 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.