ERA26LA223

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna T210 · Loíza, PR · May 30, 2026

Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedPreliminary report
Date
May 30, 2026, 07:44 local (11:44 UTC)
Place
Loíza, PR
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N210PLCessna T210
Defining event
Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Investigation ongoing
Investigation class
Class 3
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA/FSDO
FAA report
20260530012639A
Case key
203090

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

On this page

Preliminary report

What NTSB knew early in the investigation. It may change in the final report.

On May 30, 2026, about 0744 Atlantic standard time, a Cessna T210, N210PL, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Loiza, Puerto Rico. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that the accident flight was the first flight post maintenance. During takeoff and the initial climb, the engine was running normally with no discrepancies observed. After 5 minutes of flying, at about 3,000 ft mean sea level (msl), the pilot noticed an engine vibration. He then noted that after about 1 minute, the engine began to produce “explosion” noises, the oil pressure was very low, and the oil temperature was high. The pilot maneuvered to return to the departure airport and declared an emergency; however, the airplane would not have been able to reach the airport, and he performed a forced landing on a road. As the airplane touched down, it contacted a pole and quickly decelerated. Postaccident examination revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, fuselage, and empennage. An FAA inspector found several gallons of fuel in both fuel tanks. The wreckage was retained for further examination.

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.

Aircraft

Registration
N210PL
Reported as
Cessna T210 (M)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
21062528
Built
1978
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Mts Inc
Registered owner
Mts Inc
Airport
SJU · Luis Munoz Marin Intl
Equipment
Data recorder, ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display

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.

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
110° at 6 knots
Visibility
8 statute miles
Temperature
82 °F, dew point 73 °F
Altimeter
30.07 inHg
Observed at
TJSJ, 7 nm away
METAR
METAR TJSJ 301156Z 11006KT 8SM FEW032 SCT050 28/23 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP180 HZ ALQDS T02780233 10278 20244 53015 $=

FAA reports on this event · 1

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