CEN24LA063

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna T210 · Sapulpa, OK · December 13, 2023

Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal report
Date
December 13, 2023, 17:30 local (23:30 UTC)
Place
Sapulpa, OK
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N6789RCessna T210
Defining event
Enroute-climb to cruise: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
Investigation class
Class 3
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
FAA FSDO
FAA report
20231213020019A
Case key
193524

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

Probable cause

The total loss of engine power due to the failure of the left magneto and subsequent damage to a lead for the right magneto.

Findings · 1

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Ignition system: magneto/distributorAircraft › Aircraft power plant · FailureCessna T210F: 1 caseAll aircraft: 101 casesProbable cause

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

Shortly after takeoff, the airplane’s engine lost total power and the pilot performed a forced landing to a road. During the forced landing, the pilot maneuvered to avoid a vehicle, and the airplane landed hard. The right main landing gear and nose landing gear collided with a concrete curb, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. Examination of the engine revealed that the left magneto had overheated, failed, and separated from the engine, resulting in damage to the right magneto’s p-lead. The damage to the right magneto p-lead likely resulted in the grounding of the right magneto and a subsequent total loss of the engine’s ignition source. Due to extensive damage to the left magneto, further testing could not be accomplished and the reason for its failure could not be determined. The magneto was recently rebuilt and installed on the engine before the flight. It could not be determined if this maintenance introduced debris to the internal magneto components.

Factual narrative

On December 13, 2023, about 1730 central standard time, a Cessna T210F airplane, N6789R, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Sapulpa, Oklahoma. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The purpose of the flight was to perform an initial break-in of the engine, which had recently been overhauled. Shortly after takeoff, the engine lost all power, but the propeller continued windmilling. The pilot attempted to restore engine power but was unsuccessful. Unable to return to the airport, the pilot performed a forced landing to a road, during which the pilot maneuvered to avoid a vehicle and landed hard. During the landing roll, the right main landing gear and nose landing gear collided with a concrete curb, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. A postaccident examination of the engine found that the left magneto had seized and was partially separated from the engine. Impact damage to the right magneto’s p-lead was observed and the right magneto was confirmed to be grounded. Examination of the left magneto found that the internal components were heat damaged and melted. Due to the damage, further testing could not be conducted. The magneto had been rebuilt and installed on the engine during the most recent engine overhaul, which occurred about 1 hour before the accident.

Aircraft

Registration
N6789R
Reported as
Cessna T210 (F)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
T210-0189
Built
1966
Airframe hours
3,671
Engine
Continental TSIO-520-C, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Dan Howard Aircraft Sales LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · October 11, 2023 · 1 hours before
Airport
RVS
Equipment
Stall warning system

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
59
Injuries
None
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial, Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
July 11, 2023
Seat
Left
Restraint
Lap only
Flight hours
12,920 total · 2,625 in this make and model · 11,454 as pilot in command · 118 in the last 90 days · 34 in the last 30 days · 0.2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night
Wind
80° at 4 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
48 °F, dew point 27 °F
Altimeter
30.53 inHg
Observed at
KRVS, 3 nm away
METAR
KRVS 132353Z 08004KT 10SM CLR 09/M03 A3053 RMK AO2 SLP347 T00891033 10167 20089 51005

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 14, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 13.5 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.