How many Cessna T210Ls are registered in the US?

303, in the FAA aircraft registry.

When was the Cessna T210L built?

From about 1971 to 1976. Half of those registered today were built by 1975.

What engine does the Cessna T210L have?

Most have the Continental TSIO-520 (91% of those registered); others have the Continental GTSIO-520.

What are common problems with the Cessna T210L?

In 4 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were alternator-generator drive, flight compartment equipment, standard practices/structures, and the part most often reported was a failed alternator.

How many accidents has the Cessna T210L had?

35 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 7 of them fatal. The most common defining event was landing gear not configured. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.

How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna T210L have?

28 current ADs name the T210L airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 63 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Ownership guide

Cessna T210L

303 registered in the US, built from about 1971 to 1976, 6 seats, most with the Continental TSIO-520. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.

The fleet

Registered in the US: 303
Built: 1971 to 1976
Half built by: 1975
Seats: 6
Engine type: Piston
Most common engine: Continental TSIO-520

Engines installed

Continental TSIO-520276 aircraft (91%) · 45 ADs, 3 with a repeat action
Continental GTSIO-5206 aircraft (2%) · 18 ADs, 1 with a repeat action

From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.

Airworthiness Directives

28 current ADs name the T210L airframe, 1 with a repeat action; 1 more were superseded. Its engines carry 63 more. 10 equipment ADs name the model.

The ones that come back

ADs with a repeat action: an inspection or replacement at an interval, for as long as the AD applies. These are the airworthiness costs an owner keeps paying.

2011-10-09Requires retaining all of the actions from the previous AD and adding steps to the inspection procedures in the previous ADStandard practices structures · AirplaneSupersedes 87-20-03 R2Repeat actionMay 13, 2011

Every AD for the Cessna T210L

What gets reported

4 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.

Systems reported most

Alternator-Generator Drive1
Flight Compartment Equipment1
Standard Practices/Structures1
AC Generator-Alternator1

Parts reported most

Alternator, failed1
Seat, broken1
Rod, broken1
Alternator, low voltage1

The latest reports

2024-11-12 · Flight Compartment Equipment · Seat, broken
During the 200hr/annual inspection it was found that both cessna sk210-175a and sk210-175b kits that were installed to comply with cessna sb seb07-5r2 were found in an inop condition (broken). the swivel adapter that is held onto the reel assembly with 2 small roll pins was found broken in the round swivel area. this is the part that the flexible actuator cable screws onto to transmit the position
2023-05-13 · Alternator-Generator Drive · Alternator, failed
N4678q, c210, declared an emergency due to possible electrical issue. the flight landed safely without issue.
2023-04-24 · Standard Practices/Structures · Rod, broken
Rod assembly broke at the threaded end of the rod end.
2016-11-15 · AC Generator-Alternator · Alternator, low voltage
Volt meter indicated a discharge at 1000 rpm. normal volt at 1000rpm as per check should be 28.5+-5. volt meter indicated at 1000 rpm 25.0 amps 37. at 1700 rpm volt 27.8 amps 42, at 2000 rpm v27.8 amps 39.

From the FAA's Service Difficulty Reporting System, refreshed monthly. Counts of what was reported, not failure rates: most of general aviation reports voluntarily, and a busy training fleet reports more than a private one.

Accident record

35 accidents since 2008, 7 fatal (9 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 2 aircraft destroyed.

What happened

Landing gear not configured6
Loss of engine power (total)6
Landing gear collapse4
Loss of control on ground3
Fuel starvation3
System or component failure (not the engine)3

Phase of flight

Landing17
Approach7
Initial climb4
Enroute4
Maneuvering2

The latest

Date	Where	What happened	Injuries	NTSB number
2024-12-28	Gallup, NM	Approach: Fuel related	None	WPR25LA071
2024-06-30	Albany, OH	Landing: Loss of control on ground	Minor	ERA24LA285
2022-10-10	Marana, AZ	Landing: Landing gear collapse	None	WPR23LA012
2022-08-24	Atoka, OK	Landing: Landing area overshoot	None	CEN22LA411
2022-07-23	Puerto plata	Approach: Unknown or undetermined	Fatal	GAA22WA238
2022-03-14	Lancaster, CA	Approach: Fuel starvation	None	WPR22LA126

From the NTSB's aviation accident database, refreshed monthly; accidents only, homebuilts left out. Counts, not rates: nobody publishes how many hours each model flies, and a training fleet flies far more than a private one. Look up any case by its number in the NTSB's CAROL.

What it costs to run

Per hour flown

Hours flown a yearhr/yrFuel burngal/hrTypical cruise; your POH and how you fly decide it.Fuel price$/galEngine overhaul$A quote from an engine shop.Hours to overhaulhrThe engine maker's published time between overhauls.Maintenance reserve$/hrEverything else that wears: tires, brakes, avionics, the unexpected.

Per year, flown or not

Insurance$/yrHangar or tiedown$/yrAnnual inspection$/yrLoan payments$/yrEverything else$/yrSubscriptions, database updates, the property tax some states charge.

Fuel: $0/hr
Engine reserve: $0/hr
A year: $0
All in, per hour: $0/hr

Everything else is yours to fill in: insurance, hangar and overhaul prices vary too much by pilot, airport and shop for a default to mean anything. Nothing you type leaves this page.

Before you buy one

Run its N-number through the AD check: every AD that names its airframe and engine, as a checklist to take to the logbooks.
For each repeat-action AD (1 on the airframe), find the last compliance in the logbooks and when the next one is due.
Compare the engine's time since overhaul with its maker's published overhaul time, and look for the reason behind any long gap in flying.
Ask the mechanic doing the pre-buy to look hard at the alternator-generator drive and for failed alternators: they are what gets reported most on this model.
10 equipment ADs name the T210L (a muffler, a seat belt, a display): find out which of that equipment is installed.
Check the registration, the airworthiness certificate and the date of the last annual inspection.
Work out the sales or use tax your state will charge with the aircraft tax calculator.

The rest of the T210 family

Cessna T210N · 464 Cessna T210M · 319 Cessna T210F · 64 Cessna T210R · 28 Cessna T210H · 26 Cessna T210K · 25 Cessna T210G · 25 Cessna T210J · 19

Questions

How many Cessna T210Ls are registered in the US?: 303, in the FAA aircraft registry.
When was the Cessna T210L built?: From about 1971 to 1976. Half of those registered today were built by 1975.
What engine does the Cessna T210L have?: Most have the Continental TSIO-520 (91% of those registered); others have the Continental GTSIO-520.
What are common problems with the Cessna T210L?: In 4 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were alternator-generator drive, flight compartment equipment, standard practices/structures, and the part most often reported was a failed alternator.
How many accidents has the Cessna T210L had?: 35 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 7 of them fatal. The most common defining event was landing gear not configured. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna T210L have?: 28 current ADs name the T210L airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 63 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Figures from the FAA aircraft registry and the FAA's Airworthiness Directives, rebuilt daily. An AD listed for a model is one to read; whether it applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number, equipment and records.