Cessna 210 N9517T accident near Polson, Montana

Preliminary information

On September 10, 2026, about 1005 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 210, N9517T, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Polson Airport (8S1), Polson, Montana. The student pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight

The pilot reported that he was returning to 8S1 after a short flight. The flight was uneventful until the airplane was on final approach. According to the pilot, the airplane was high on the approach, and he initiated a forward slip to increase the descent rate. About 20 to 30 seconds after entering the slip, the engine lost all power. The propeller continued to windmill during the descent The pilot verified the mixture and fuel selector positions and manipulated the throttle; however, he was unsuccessful in his attempt to restore engine power.

The pilot discontinued the slip and established a glide toward the airport. The airplane crossed a road near the approach end of the runway and struck a fence before coming to rest on the airport grass. The lower fuselage and left wing were substantially damaged during the accident sequence. The pilot reported that each wing tank contained about 16 gallons of fuel before departure.

Fuel samples were obtained from the airplane, and the airplane was retained for further examination.

Text from the NTSB; a preliminary report can change and names no cause. Open the NTSB docket for WPR26LA335 for the full record.