Cessna 210B accident near Dixie, Idaho, September 4, 1999
On September 4, 1999 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Cessna 210B, registered N9740X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dixie, Idaho. It was a personal 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
Inadequate airspeed and clearance was not maintained. Mountainous conditions, trees, and an inadequately planned approach were factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 1999 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Dixie, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210B · all 210Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9740X · no longer on the register · serial 21058040
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while on final approach to a private mountain airstrip, the canyon that he was following was narrow, required steep turns to maintain terrain clearance, and that the elevation varied. About one-quarter to one-half mile south of the airstrip, the pilot's visual picture of the approach no longer appeared correct to him in that he felt that he was too low and close to the creek. The pilot retracted the landing gear and applied full power, however, the terrain necessitated a series of steep, approximate 60 degree bank angle turns to maintain terrain clearance, and the rate of climb while performing these turns was near zero feet/min. The pilot stated that because the nose was high and the speed slow; the stall warning horn was sounding. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and leveled the wings just prior to collision with the trees.
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: 2,187 hours in all; 1,118 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 2,005 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,025 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 21, 1999; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-S9B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ID at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.