What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft engine quit after aircraft was cleared for approach. (-4)the day before the accident, the airplane had flown from newton, KS to Oklahoma city, OK, then to shawnee, OK, and return to newton, KS. It was not refueled. That same day, the operator made a business arrangement with the passengers to have them flown round trip from tulsa, OK, to Iowa City, IA. The operator contacted the pilot requesting that he fly the Cessna 210. The pilot accepted although he had never flown a Cessna 210. The next day, after a 1/2-hour checkout at newton, KS, the pilot flew to tulsa, ok to pick up the passengers. While approaching tulsa, the pilot reported that the fuel gauges indicated empty. The refuelers were told to top off the fuel tanks. The refueler put on 48.8 gals of fuel; the airplane held 120 gals total fuel. A passenger paid for the fuel. The pilot did not see the fuel slip nor did he learn that 48.8 gals of fuel had been added. The pilot did not visually check the fuel level during preflight. The pilot reported that he did not believe the fuel gauges were reliable. After 2.6 hours of flight, the airplane impacted trees and power lines 1/2 mile north of Iowa City airport there was no indication of fuel on the airplane, nor were there indications of fuel siphoning or leaking.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT ENGINE QUIT AFTER AIRCRAFT WAS CLEARED FOR APPROACH. (-4)THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRPLANE HAD FLOWN FROM NEWTON, KS TO OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, THEN TO SHAWNEE, OK, AND RETURN TO NEWTON, KS. IT WAS NOT REFUELED. THAT SAME DAY, THE OPERATOR MADE A BUSINESS ARRANGEMENT WITH THE PASSENGERS TO HAVE THEM FLOWN ROUND TRIP FROM TULSA, OK, TO IOWA CITY, IA. THE OPERATOR CONTACTED THE PILOT REQUESTING THAT HE FLY THE CESSNA 210. THE PILOT ACCEPTED ALTHOUGH HE HAD NEVER FLOWN A CESSNA 210. THE NEXT DAY, AFTER A 1/2-HOUR CHECKOUT AT NEWTON, KS, THE PILOT FLEW TO TULSA, OK TO PICK UP THE PASSENGERS. WHILE APPROACHING TULSA, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED EMPTY. THE REFUELERS WERE TOLD TO TOP OFF THE FUEL TANKS. THE REFUELER PUT ON 48.8 GALS OF FUEL; THE AIRPLANE HELD 120 GALS TOTAL FUEL. A PASSENGER PAID FOR THE FUEL. THE PILOT DID NOT SEE THE FUEL SLIP NOR DID HE LEARN THAT 48.8 GALS OF FUEL HAD BEEN ADDED. THE PILOT DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL LEVEL DURING PREFLIGHT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT BELIEVE THE FUEL GAUGES WERE RELIABLE. AFTER 2.6 HOURS OF FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES AND POWER LINES 1/2 MILE NORTH OF IOWA CITY AIRPORT THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF FUEL ON THE AIRPLANE, NOR WERE THERE INDICATIONS OF FUEL SIPHONING OR LEAKING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.