# NTSB ERA26LA325: Cessna 210, N9420M, Dawson Springs, KY, September 2, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: September 1, 2026, 22:25 local (Sep 2, 2026, 03:25 UTC)
- Place: Dawson Springs, KY
- Coordinates: 37.185821, -87.685387 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.1858&lon=-87.6854&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 203726
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA325
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203726/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA325

## Preliminary report

On September 1, 2026, at 2225 central daylight time, a Cessna 210K, N9420M, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Dawson Springs, Kentucky. The private 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 about 10 minutes after departing from Madisonville Regional Airport (2I0), Madisonville, Kentucky, while climbing through about 4,500 ft mean sea level (msl) he heard a bang. Subsequently the engine began to shake and vibrate severely. The pilot continued that after the bang the engine “lost useful power but initially continued running.” He looked at his oil pressure and noted that it had dropped to zero, and multiple exhaust gas temperature (EGT) and cylinder head temperature (CHT) readings were dropping. The pilot attempted to glide to and land at Tradewater Airport (8M7), Dawson Springs, Kentucky. Because the airport was not equipped with airport lighting, and the pilot was unable to locate the airport in the dark. About 2,800 ft msl the pilot lowered the landing gear and selected a road to conduct the forced landing. During the landing the airplane impacted a power pole before landing on the roadway. During the landing roll the airplane contacted a guardrail and another utility pole which resulted in substantial damage to both wings, the horizontal stabilizer and elevator. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the crankcase was breached, with a broken connecting rod visible near the No. 6 cylinder. The airplane was recovered and retained for further examination.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 210K, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2073446), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 210K, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2073446), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9420M](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9420M), registered now, S/N 21059320, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 210 (K)
- Registry model: [Cessna 210K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-210k) (registry code 2073446) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 21059320
- Year built: 1970
- Airframe hours: 4296.4
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: LBA Holdings LLC
- Registered owner: LBA Holdings LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, September 15, 2025, 29 hours before
- Departed: 2I0, Madisonville, KY
- Destination: CEY, Murray, KY
- Airport: 8M7, Tradewater
- Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, Electronic primary flight display, Handheld GPS, Heads up display, Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system, ADS-B

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observed at: HVC, 23 nm away
- METAR: METAR KHVC 020335Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 24/22 A3005 RMK A01

## 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 20260901012499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260901012499A), Sep 1, 2026: Cessna 210K, Dawson Springs, KY, Substantial damage. Pilot reported after departing airport (2I0), while climbing through 4500 feet he heard a loud bang, the engine started running rough and begin to shake, lost…

## Other investigations on N9420M (2)

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.

- [NTSB NYC77FHJ15](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC77FHJ15), Apr 20, 1977: Cessna 210K (N9420M), Ronkonkoma, NY, substantial damage
- [NTSB OAK74FXQ13](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK74FXQ13), Sep 27, 1973: Cessna 210 (N9420M), Gerlach, NV, substantial damage

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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