# NTSB DEN80FA003: Cessna T210N, N7618N, Gunnison, CO, October 14, 1979

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: October 14, 1979
- Place: Gunnison, CO · GUNNISON, CO
- Location: 38.5480° N, 106.9246° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Gunnison, CO, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5480&lon=-106.9246&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Uncontrolled descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/650) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 8 fatal
- Status: Completed, report March 6, 1980
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 133139
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN80FA003
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN80FA003

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3371  79/10/14 NR.GUNNISON,CO        CESSNA T210N        CR-  1  0  0  COMMERCIAL                PRIVATE, AGE 29, 250
        TIME - 2035                    N7618N              PX-  7  0  0  OTHER                     TOTAL HOURS, UNK/NR IN
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            TYPE, NOT INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          GRAND CANYON,AZ.            LONGMONT,CO.
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           AIRFRAME FAILURE: IN FLIGHT                              IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION AND/OR PLANNING
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - HYPOXIA
           PILOT IN COMMAND - EXCEEDED DESIGNED STRESS LIMITS OF AIRCRAFT
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           AIRFRAME - WINGS: SPARS
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - OVERLOAD FAILURE
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - SEPARATION IN FLIGHT
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - STOLEN OR UNAUTH=
        WEATHER BRIEFING - NO RECORD OF BRIEFING RECEIVED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST/LOWER SCATTERED                                  10000
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED)                                     UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                      8
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
          230                                                       23
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR                                                      IFR
         FIRE AFTER IMPACT
        REMARKS- REVENUE FLT,OPERATOR NOT PART 135 CERTIFICATED.WING SEPARATED.STOLEN ACFT.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N7618N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7618N-2013-05-08), registration cancelled 2013-05-08, S/N 21063245 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA T210N
- Registry model: [Cessna T210N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t210n) (registry code 2073456) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19791014043119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19791014043119A), Oct 14, 1979: Cessna T210N, Gunnison, CO, Destroyed, 7 fatal. VFR pilot reported at FL210 in clouds with severe turbulence. Aircraft broke up in flight. Oxygen bottles empty.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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