Aircraft model
CESSNA T210L
Everything here is true of every aircraft of the type, not of any one aircraft.
The turbocharged Centurion, in 1975 T210L form. The turbocharger lets the 310 hp Continental hold power to the mid-twenties, so it cruises near 190 knots in the high teens and climbs well out of hot, high airfields. With six seats and a 1,500 lb useful load it is one of the most capable piston singles ever built, and owners in the mountain west have used them for decades.
The costs match the capability. The TSIO-520 burns 17-18 gallons an hour, has a shorter effective life than a normally aspirated engine, and is hard on turbochargers and exhaust systems — cracked exhaust components are the type's recurring inspection item and a carbon monoxide risk. The 2020 wing spar carry-through airworthiness directive applies to this aircraft and its compliance status should be the first question asked. The retractable gear needs a mechanic who knows the type. Flying in the twenties without pressurisation means oxygen for everyone aboard, which is a real chore with six people.
What it is
| Seats | 6 |
|---|---|
| Landing gear | tricycle |
| Engines | 1 |
| Engine | Continental TSIO-520-H (turbocharged) |
| Horsepower | 310 hp |
| Fuel | 100LL |
| Certification basis | CAR3 |
| Production start | 1975 |
| Production end | 1975 |
| Endorsements required | complex;high-performance |
Performance
| Cruise speed | 193 KTAS |
|---|---|
| Range | 900 nm |
| Service ceiling | 27,000 ft |
| Climb rate | 930 ft/min |
| Stall speed (Vso) | 58 KCAS |
| Takeoff over 50 ft | 2,160 ft |
| Landing over 50 ft | 1,500 ft |
Load and fuel
| Seats | 6 |
|---|---|
| Useful load | 1,520 lb |
| Full-fuel payload | 980 lb |
| Max takeoff weight | 3,800 lb |
| Empty weight | 2,280 lb |
| Usable fuel | 90 gal |
| Fuel burn at cruise | 18 gal/h |
Cost of ownership
| Price, low | $160,000 |
|---|---|
| Price, high | $300,000 |
| Prices as of | 2026 |
| Engine TBO | 1,400 h |
| Overhaul cost, low | $60,000 |
| Overhaul cost, high | $85,000 |
The fleet and its record
| Registered, all time | 897 |
|---|---|
| Active fleet | 306 |
| Median year built | 1975.0 |
| NTSB events, last 10 years | 20 |
| Fatal events, last 10 years | 4 |
| Events per 1,000 active, last 10 years | 65.36 per 1,000 active · base 306 active |
| Personal-flying events per 1,000 active | 65.36 per 1,000 active · base 306 active |
| Ownership transfers, last 24 months | 42 |
| Transfers per 100 active | 13.73 per 100 active · base 306 active |
| Airworthiness directives | 7 |
| Directives, last 5 years | 0 |
| Rate confidence | ok |
Peer scores
A score runs from 0 to 10 within the model's peer class: a position, not a grade, and the six are never added together.
| Peer class | Fixed wing single-engine, piston, 1 engine, 5-6 seats |
|---|---|
| Accident record | 1.3 of 10 · class median 38.14 · 73 models in class |
| Severity | 3.5 of 10 · class median 8.33 |
| Access | 5.5 of 10 · class median 1,794 |
| Support | 8.2 of 10 · class median 81 |
| Liquidity | 2.2 of 10 · class median 17.96 |