Cessna T210L accident near Milford, Utah, May 7, 1995
On May 7, 1995 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Cessna T210L, registered N2115S, was destroyed in an accident near Milford, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 6 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's continued flight into known adverse weather (icing conditions), and his delay in executing a course reversal to exit those conditions, which resulted in airframe ice accumulation and loss of control. A factor was the icing conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 1995 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Milford, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210L · all T210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N2115S · no longer on the register · serial 21061078
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had received a weather briefing which included an AIRMET referencing occasional moderate rime ice or mixed icing in clouds in precipitation between 9,000 and 20,000 feet. The aircraft, which was not equipped with anti-ice/deice equipment, departed Provo at approx 1544. At 1607, the pilot radioed that he was picking up ice. At 1647 he stated that he wanted to deviate due to weather. At 1657 and again at 1702 he radioed that he was picking up ice. The controller recommended a course reversal following the 1702 call and the pilot responded 'we're doing that.' The aircraft's radar track, combined with satellite imagery of cloud activity near the time of the accident, showed the aircraft penetrating the core of a convective buildup just prior to the accident. Freezing level was near 8,000 feet and the temperature/dew point spread between 8,000 and 13,000 feet was approx 1 degree C. The aircraft impacted the ground upright in a nose low, wings level attitude.
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: 750 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-H (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PVU Provo UT at 9:47 pm
- Destination: VIS Visalia CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from CDC, 50 miles away
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.