At approximately 1730 hours, on November 14, 2002, Airport Firefighters were notified of a Cessna 210L that had lost engine power approximately 1 mile from the airport. Immediately after starting their response, crews were advised by Air Traffic Control that they had lost contact with the aircraft and were receiving a signal from an Emergency Transmitter Locator near the University of Rochester Medical Center, and could also see smoke in that area. Rescues 1, 2, and 5 then responded off the airport to the site of the crash, along with a full assignment from the City of Rochester Fire Department.
         RFD Engine 7 was first on scene, and confirmed an aircraft had crashed into a softball field. AFD equipment arrived soon after and assisted with fire suppression. Once the fire was knocked down, crews reported the pilot had been fatally injured and appeared to be the only person on board.
         The aircraft was observed to strike a fence, cart-wheel, and burst into flames by witnesses and a surveillance camera. Several witnesses on the ground reported the engine did not sound normal before the crash. Most of the aircraft was destroyed in the post-crash fire, and with the exception of the pilot, there were no other injuries or fatalities. It's worth noting that the pilot did an excellent job of putting the aircraft down in a "safe spot" as the crash site is surrounded by a hospital campus, dormitories, parking lots, and several other high traffic areas.