Cessna T210M N732YK

Summary

On 31 December 2008 at about 19:15 local time, a Cessna T210M registered N732YK was involved in an accident near Fort Collins, Colorado, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 December 2008 at 19:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Fort Collins, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Fort Collins-Loveland (FNL)

Coordinates

40.4517, -105.0114

Aircraft

Cessna T210M

Registration

N732YK

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Addison → Fort Collins

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09CA123

Nobody was injured.

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.