Cessna 210B accident near Lewiston, Montana, July 1, 1995
On July 1, 1995 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 210B, registered N4GY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lewiston, Montana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND THE LACK OF A SUITABLE AREA FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 1995 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lewiston, Montana
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210B · all 210Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4GY · no longer on the register · serial 21057977
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE MANEUVERING OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT 500 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE AIRPLANE PASSED OVER A RIDGE LINE THEN DROPPED INTO A CANYON. THE PILOT STATED THAT A 'SEVERE DOWNDRAFT JOLTED THE AIRPLANE...,' AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND THE LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT LOCK DOWN. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE TO AN OPEN ROUGH FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED A TRACE OF WATER CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND TO INDICATE A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
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
- Flight time: 1,670 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,746 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 1995; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BTM Butte MT at 8:45 pm
- Destination: LWT MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.