Cessna T210N accident near Walla Walla, Washington, October 17, 1987
On October 17, 1987 at about 1:11 am local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N7231N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Walla Walla, Washington (Grove Field). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- October 17, 1987 · about 1:11 am local time
- Place
- Walla Walla, Washington · Grove Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N7231N · no longer on the register · serial 21063120
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LANDED SHORT AND THE AIRCRAFT'S MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUCK THE EDGE OF A PLATEAU AT THE APPROACH END OF THE PRIVATE STRIP. THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED OFF THE GRASS RUNWAY, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,219 hours in all; 507 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 954 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,507 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 13, 1987; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Computer Networking Spec. INC
The flight
- Departed from: SJC San Jose CA at 10:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 1,570 ft by 33 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 am from ALW, 7 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.