Cessna 210 accident near Reno, Nevada, June 5, 1988
On June 5, 1988 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 210, registered N70SA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reno, Nevada (Reno Cannon airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- June 5, 1988 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Reno Cannon
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210 · all 210s on the register
- Registration
- N70SA · no longer on the register · serial 21057107
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT AND AN ILS APPROACH, A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED AT ABOUT 1200 FEET AGL. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ONTO ROUGH TERRAIN. DURING LANDING ROLL THE NOSE GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVING INSTRUMENT INSTRUCTION FLEW THE AIRCRAFT, WHILE THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) ATTEMPTED A RESTART. NEITHER THE PILOT NOR THE CFI WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE FUEL BOOST PUMP PROCEDURES FOR INFLIGHT ENGINE FAILURES. THE AIRCRAFT TYPE DATA CERTIFICATE REQUIRES A PLACARD ADDRESSING PROCEDURES FOR ENGINE FAILURE; THIS PLACARD WAS ABSENT (THE FUEL BOOST SWITCH WAS LEFT IN THE OFF POSITION.) AIRCRAFT EXAMINATION REVEALED CONTAMINATION IN THE GASCOLATOR AND THE FUEL FLOW DIVIDER. ALSO, A 60% OBSTRUCTION DUE TO CONTAMINANTS WAS PRESENT IN THE FUEL AIR CONTROL UNIT SCREEN. 3 SPARK PLUGS WERE FOULED, 2 DUE TO OIL FOULING, 1 DUE TO CARBON FOULING.
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: 350 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16R, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 11 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Observation at 9:40 pm from RNO, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.