Pilot Debrief

CESSNA T210L near Abilene, TX — 2010-12-29

Final reportCEN11CA132
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Date
2010-12-29
Location
Abilene, TX, USA
Aircraft
CESSNA T210L
Registration
N210BH
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Descent

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

NTSB narrative

The pilot departed on a 615-nautical mile cross-country flight that reportedly would take him about four hours and fifteen minutes to complete. He reported that he had about five and one-half hours of fuel on-board, and that he received a weather briefing before departing. The briefing indicated that he would encounter marginal visual flight conditions en route to his destination. During the flight, stronger than expected wind conditions were adding about 10 minutes to his flight, and about 50 miles from his destination, he started his descent from 9,500 feet with a solid cloud layer below him. He contacted the air traffic controller and received an instrument rules flight plan for an approach to his destination. He said that as he broke out from the clouds, it was too late to make a landing at the airport, and the engine lost power. He switched fuel tanks and the engine re-started. He said that the controller asked him if he had enough fuel to a make an alternate airport, located about 44 miles away, to which he responded that the right fuel tank showed one-third full. About 3 miles from the alternate airport the engine lost power again, this time the pilot could not get it restarted. He then elected to conduct a forced landing on a road. During the forced landing the airplane’s horizontal stabilizer impacted a signpost, causing substantial damage to the airplane.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have diverted to alternate airport sooner based on fuel status.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 2 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents2

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