Cessna 210E TGGUW

Summary

On 23 November 1989 at about 02:15 local time, a Cessna 210E registered TGGUW, operated by Thomas P. Mifsud, was involved in an accident near Matagorda 526. 4 people were on board and 3 died, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 November 1989 at 02:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Matagorda 526

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 210E

Registration

TGGUW

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Thomas P. Mifsud

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Brownsville → Houston

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW90FA031

3 people died.

THE SEPARATION OF THE PROPELLER SYSTEM FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE SEVERITY OF THE INJURIES WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ASSURE THAT A RAFT AND/OR LIFEVESTS WERE ON THE AIRPLANE DURING THE OVERWATER PORTION OF THE FLIGHT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT THE PROPELLER ASSEMBLY SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE. THE PILOT DITCHED THE AIRPLANE NEXT TO AN OIL PLATFORM APRX 10 MI FROM LAND. THE PILOT, HIS WIFE, AND TWO SMALL CHILDREN EXITED AND ATTEMPTED TO SWIM TO THE PLATFORM. THE SEA STATE WAS ROUGH, AND NO RAFT OR LIFE VESTS WERE ON THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT'S WIFE AND CHILDREN WERE LOST AT SEA. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE MOUNTS AND CRANKSHAFT SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF FATIGUE OR PRE-EXISTING FRACTURES. APRX 4 YEARS PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT THE AIRPLANE WAS INVOLVED IN A GEAR-UP LANDING, RESULTING IN THE PROP BLADES BEING CURLED BACK APRX 30 DEG UP TO 8 INCHES FROM THE TIPS. THE BLADES WERE STRAIGHTENED AND RETURNED TO SERVICE. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER THE REPAIR WAS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR SERVICE MANUAL AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.