Plane Crash List

Cessna 210B N9615X

27 September 1989 · Newport Beach, California, United States · Minor injuries

Summary

On 27 September 1989 at about 03:02 local time, a Cessna 210B registered N9615X was involved in an accident near Newport Beach, California, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 03:02
Classification
Accident
Location
Newport Beach, California, United States
Coordinates
Not recorded
Aircraft
Cessna 210B
Registration
N9615X
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Palm Springs → Van Nuys
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Night/Bright
NTSB number
LAX89LA327

People

1 person had minor injuries.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
2 0 0 1 1

Probable cause

THE FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE'S CRANKSHAFT, RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER OVER UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. THE PILOT DITCHED THE AIRPLANE BECAUSE HE WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE TO SHORE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT, WHO HAD JUST PURCHASED THE AIRCRAFT, EXPEREINCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE CRUISING & HE DITCHED HIS AIRCRAFT IN A HARBOR. THE AIRCRAFT SANK. UPON ITS SUBSEQUENT RECOVERY, IT WAS EXAMINED, & ITS CRANKSHAFT WAS FOUND FRACTURED. A METALLURGICAL EXAM REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF A SURFACE ORIGIN FATIGUE CRACK, WHICH HAD PROPAGATED IN THE AREA OF THE NO 4 CRANKSHAFT CHEEK BETWEEN, THE NO 2 MAIN JOURNAL & THE NO 3 CRANKPIN JOURNAL. THE FRACTURE HAD INITIATED IN THE FORWARD FILLET RADIUS OF THE NO 2 MAIN JOURNAL. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF ANY PREEXISTING MATERIAL DEFECTS IN THE CRANKSHAFT METAL. ABOUT 10 YEARS & 1166 OPERATING HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE ENGINE HAD REPORTEDLY UNDERGONE A MAJOR OVERHAUL. THE AIRCRAFT'S MAINTENANCE RECORDS WERE INCOMPLETE & THE ADEQUACY OF THE PREVIOUS MAINTENANCE COULD NOT BE ADEQUATELY DOCUMENTED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Cessna 210 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
5 Aug 1989 Cessna 210L
N2676S
Marco, Florida, United States
no coordinates
Robert S West Fall Fatal 1
23 Jun 1989 Cessna 210
N761RF
Waco, Texas, United States
no coordinates
BOB McDowell Minor injuries -
10 Aug 1989 Cessna 210C
N3680Y
Millington, Tennessee, United States Howard A. Daniels Minor injuries -
31 Aug 1989 Cessna 210N
N873PJ
Westerly, Rhode Island, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
1 Sep 1989 Cessna 210
N2054S
No. Windham, Vermont, United States
no coordinates
George A. Little, M.d. Serious injuries -
7 Oct 1989 Cessna 210
N5252E
Jacksonville, Florida, United States Willis, David H No injuries -

All 2,022 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
15 Sep 1989 Piper PA-31-350
N70PE
Ontario, California, United States Ameriflight Fatal 1
26 Sep 1989 Piper PA-25-235
N4450Y
Warner Springs, California, United States - No injuries -
19 Sep 1989 Cessna 310K
N6958L
Ojai, California, United States - Fatal 2
30 Sep 1989 Cessna 182
N96642
Eureka, California, United States Nothern Air No injuries -
30 Sep 1989 Cessna 152
N6422M
Lancaster, California, United States West Coast Air Center Fatal 2
29 Sep 1989 Bellanca 17-30A
N8272R
Palo Alto, California, United States Klouda, Linda K. Minor injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States