# Accident 19961214039379A: Cessna T210M, Charlottesville, VA, December 14, 1996 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: December 14, 1996, 13:58 local time - Place: Charlottesville, VA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Normal Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 38.0901° N, 78.5599° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.0901&lon=-78.5599&mi=10 - Aircraft: N1929M, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1929M-2018-01-11) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna T210M (registry code 2073451, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t210m) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA T210M - Reported engine: CONT TSIO520R - People aboard: 3 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 1,453 total, 1,200 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC97LA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA029) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961214039379A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A FIELD, RAN OUT OF FUEL. (-23) 12/14/96 AIRCRAFT DEPARTED GREENVILLE, SC VFR ENROUTE TO LEESBURG, VA. SIX PEOPLE ON BOARD. PILOT ELECTED NOT TO TOP OFF WITH FUEL AT GREENVILLE DUE TO THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE CONSIDERATION. (4) A PLANNED FUEL STOP WAS DISCUSSED PRIOR TO DEPARTUREE, HOWEVER DUE TO HEADWINDS AND THE PILOTS MISCALCULATION OF TOTAL FUEL ON BOARD, THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AND LANDED 1/2 MILE SHORT OF CHARLOTTESVILLE AIRPORT. ON SCENE INVESTIGATION SHOWED NO FUEL IN ANY TANK. A 709 RIDE IS ANTICIPATED. MINOR BRUISES WERE THE ONLY INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR AND FUSELAGE WERE DAMAGED. (3 & 9) A FUEL GAUGE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE WAS REPLACED ON OCTOBER 14, 1996, HOWEVER IT WAS CALIBRATED TO THE EMPTY SIDE AND RETURNED TO SERVICE BY A CERTIFICATED MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC MADE AN ENTRY STATING THE GAUGE WAS NOT CALIBRATED AND THE PILOT WAS AWARE OF THE FUEL GAUGE ERROR. (.19) ON DECEMBER 14, 1996, ABOUT 1358 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA T210M, N1929M, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDED NEAR CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED; THREE PASSENGERS R ECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, DESTINED FOR LEESBURG, VIRGINIA, AND CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHILE EN ROUTE AT 11,500 FEET MSL, HE ENCOUNTERED "SEVERE" HEADWINDS AND DECIDED TO DIVERT TO CHARLOTTESVILLE TO REFUEL BECAUSE "I DON'T EVER LIKE GOING BELOW 10 GALLONS PER SIDE." THE PILOT REPORTED THAT 2 TO 3 MINUTES INTO HIS DESCENT FOR CHARLOTTESVILLE, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. HE SWITCHED FROM THE LEFT TO RIGHT FUEL TANK AND POWER WAS RESTORED; HOWEVER, AT 4,500 FEET MSL, A SECOND LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO A COW PASTURE, ABOUT 1 MILE SHORT OF THE AIRPORT. FAA EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY. THE PILOT REPORTED THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY "PROPER FUEL CALCULATING ALONG WITH A FUEL COMPUTER INSTALLED BECAUSE OF THE FREQUENCY-DISTANCES-COMPLEXITY OF THE AVERAGE MISSION." (.4) WHILE EN ROUTE AT 11,500 FEET MSL, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED 'SEVERE' HEADWINDS AND DECIDED TO DIVERT TO CHARLOTTESVILLE TO REFUEL. ABOUT 2 TO 3 MINUTES INTO HIS DESCENT FO R CHARLOTTESVILLE, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT SWITCHED FROM THE LEFT TO RIGHT FUEL TANK AND POWER WAS RESTORED; HOWEVER, LATER AT 4,500 FEET MSL, A SECOND POWER LOSS OCCURRED. UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO A COW PASTURE, ABOUT 1 MILE SHORT THE AIRPORT. FAA EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY. THE PILOT REPORTED THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY 'PROPER FUEL CALCULATING ALONG WITH A FUEL COMPUTER INSTALLED, BECAUSE OF THE FREQUENCY-DISTANCES-COMPLEXITY OF THE AVERAGE MISSION.' ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB NYC97LA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA029), Dec 14, 1996: Cessna T210M (N1929M), Charlottesville, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's miscalculation of fuel consumption and his inadequate in-flight decision making, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.