The Cessna T210L was departing from Runway 17R at Fort Worth Spinks Airport (KFWS) in Texas. According to recorded radio communications and the airplane’s Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast data, the 210 was cleared for takeoff and lifted off about 1504. The pilot made a right turn to crosswind, turned to downwind, climbed to pattern altitude, and then made a full-stop landing about 1508.
He was cleared to taxi back to Runway 17R and was subsequently cleared for a second takeoff.
After the second takeoff he radioed that he was “declaring an emergency” but did not state the nature of the emergency. The controller asked the pilot if he was “going down on the highway there.” There was no reply from the pilot.
A witness who observed the airplane climb said he heard the “loud strong engine sound suddenly and drastically reduce to either power off or a low idle.”
He saw the airplane fly level for a few seconds, then descend slowly toward the ground, adding the wings banked slightly one way, then the other. He stated that the airplane continued flying straight while descending, that the wings began to rock slightly, and that when the airplane was about 10 to 20 feet above the tree line, its “rate of descent accelerated into the trees.”
The airplane hit tree-covered terrain about 1/2 mile south of the runway. A post-crash fire ensued, destroying the airplane. The pilot died from thermal injuries and smoke inhalation.
Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane hit terrain on a heading of about 120°. The debris field consisted of less than a dozen small pieces of metal within a 12-foot radius of the impact point. The left wingtip was located in a nearby tree about 81 feet above the ground. The right wing bore little evidence of fire impingement, and no fuel was present in the right fuel tank. The left wing and most of the cabin area were consumed by fire.
Further examination revealed that the fuel selector valve appeared to be on the left tank but was not in the detent. It was about 5° counterclockwise past the left tank position.
According to the company that provided fuel at KFWS, there was no evidence the pilot purchased fuel on the day of the accident. The last evidence that the pilot fueled the airplane was on April 30, 2020, in Granbury, Texas, when 36.5 gallons were purchased. The pilot made four flights after fueling, totaling about 1 hour 13 minutes.
Probable Cause: The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
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This May 2020 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Since the C-210L doesn’t have a “BOTH” fuel selector option, we’ll never know why he let such a huge in-flight fuel asymmetry develop in the first place.
The NTSB report doesn’t say what position the AUX fuel pump switch was in (the C-210L does have one; it’s turned “OFF” for a normal takeoff); and the Fuel Selector was in one of only two positions…albeit pushed past the LEFT detent position…maybe in his haste…
It is possible he got caught in an ADM “No-Man’s-Land”, with an engine problem at low altitude. We don’t know exactly what ‘Emergency Procedure’ he attempted after his troubles started: “Engine Failure After Takeoff” (shut everything off & land straight ahead), or “Engine Failure In Flight” (stay fast, switch tanks, turn the Aux fuel pump ‘ON’., etc.). Did he initiate one, then change his mind?
All accidents are horrible, especially ones where we’ll never know exactly what the pilot was doing or thinking.
It would take a little research to determine if 5 degrees is enough to shut off the port.
And if lines outside the right wing were burnt and drained it’s fuel.
An hour + and a couple of trips around the pattern weren’t enough to consume the fuel added much less what was still in the tanks.
Engine failure checklist in any airplane includes fuel selector and boost pumps if the plane has boost pumps.
It is possible induction ice was 1st problem and in a hurry the pilot missed the fuel selector position.
Sounds like fuel selector issue. You can’t have fire without gasoline so there must’ve been gas somewhere.
Isn’t that part of the pre-takeoff checklist?
When will they ever learn?