Cessna T210L accident near Ashford, Washington, July 2, 1990
On July 2, 1990 at about 7:55 pm local time, a Cessna T210L, registered N59291, was destroyed in an accident near Ashford, Washington. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 5 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CONTINUATION OF VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1990 · about 7:55 pm local time
- Place
- Ashford, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210L · all T210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N59291 · no longer on the register · serial 21060195
- 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
DURING A VFR FLIGHT, THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC FLIGHT FOLLOWING THAT A HIGHER ALTITUDE WAS NECESSARY TO REMAIN VFR. ATC APPROVED AND INQUIRED IF THE PILOT HAD MOUNT RAINIER IN SIGHT. THE PILOT REPLIED NEGATIVE BUT THAT THEY WERE VFR ON TOP. ABOUT 15 MIN LATER, AND 5 MI SSW OF MOUNT RAINIER, ATC INQUIRED IF THE PILOT HAD MOUNT RAINIER IN SIGHT. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO THIS OR THE NEXT TWO ATC TRANSMISSIONS. WHEN THE PILOT FINALLY RESPONDED TO THE FOURTH TRANSMISSION, ATC ADVISED THAT THE FLIGHT MAKE AN IMMEDIATE LEFT TURN TO A HEADING OF 310, AND TO VERIFY UNLESS MOUNT RAINIER WAS IN SIGHT. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE TRANSMISSION. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE AIRPLANE FLEW INTO MOUNT RAINIER AT THE 12,700-FT LEVEL. A CLIMBER, ON THE MOUNTAIN AT THE THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, REPORTED THAT VISIBILITY WAS 50 YARDS WITH HIGH WINDS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,798 hours in all; 1,588 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 4,676 as pilot in command; 509 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,544 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 21, 1990; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-H-4A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aerowest Aviation INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 3S2 Aurora OR at 7:11 pm
- Destination: CYYF Penticton,Can OF
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.