Summary
On December 31, 2008, a Cessna T210M (N732YK) was involved in an incident near Fort Collins, CO. All 3 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's failure to select the fullest tank before landing.
The pilot departed on the cross-country flight with 89 gallons of usable fuel on board. Four hours and 20 minutes after engine start up and while on final approach, the airplane's engine lost total power. Unable to make it to the runway, the pilot elected to land on a nearby road. During roll-out the airplane's left wing impacted a road sign, resulting in substantial damage. According to information downloaded from the airplane's fuel computer, the airplane had consumed 60.2 gallons of fuel at the time of the loss of engine power. An examination of the airplane after the accident revealed that the right fuel tank contained approximately 25 gallons of fuel. The left tank contained residual fuel; however, it had been compromised during the accident.
This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN09CA123. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N732YK.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's failure to select the fullest tank before landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot departed on the cross-country flight with 89 gallons of usable fuel on board. Four hours and 20 minutes after engine start up and while on final approach, the airplane's engine lost total power. Unable to make it to the runway, the pilot elected to land on a nearby road. During roll-out the airplane's left wing impacted a road sign, resulting in substantial damage. According to information downloaded from the airplane's fuel computer, the airplane had consumed 60.2 gallons of fuel at the time of the loss of engine power. An examination of the airplane after the accident revealed that the right fuel tank contained approximately 25 gallons of fuel. The left tank contained residual fuel; however, it had been compromised during the accident. Fuel calculations indicate that the left tank would have contained less than four gallons when the loss of engine power occurred. The pilot reported that he approached to land with the fuel selector in the left tank position. The airplane's before-landing checklist states that the fullest tank is to be selected before landing. In addition, a required placard on the fuel selector states that the fullest tank is to be selected for takeoff and landing. Following the accident an engine run was performed with the right fuel tank selected. No anomalies were noted during the engine run.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN09CA123