Cessna 210 accident near Lake Arrowhead, California, May 15, 2021
On May 15, 2021 at about 10:45 pm local time, a 1959 Cessna 210, registered N7350E, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Lake Arrowhead, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to a malfunction of the fuel flow manifold valve.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 2021 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Arrowhead, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210, built 1959 · all 210s on the register
- Registration
- N7350E · registry record · serial 57050
- 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 the engine lost partial, then total, power while flying over mountainous terrain. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a clearing, during which the airplane collided with vegetation and came to rest upright on a steep slope, resulting in substantial damage. Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel flow manifold valve failed to open when fuel pressure was applied on a test stand. The fuel flow manifold valve was disassembled; tooling marks were observed on the plunger, and the seal near the plunger was deformed and not seated flat on the manifold body. The plunger assembly and diaphragm were substituted in the fuel flow manifold valve, reattached to the test stand, and performed within manufacturer specifications. The malfunction of the fuel flow manifold likely resulted in the total loss of engine power.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel distribution › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 781.7 hours in all; 491 in this make and model; 4.7 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 727.9 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 25, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,113 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2020; 4.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470-E (piston); 540 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KCNO Chino CA at 10:15 pm
- Destination: KL35 Big Bear City CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from KSBD, 11 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KSBD 162254Z 32007KT 7SM OVC045 17/09 A2998
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on November 15, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of E-mail Correspondence (A&p) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Airframe and Engine Exam | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Fuel System Components Exam | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Evidence Control Form | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation - Tai | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photo Array | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N7350E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.