# Accident 19970926029159A: Cessna P210N, Creswell, OR, September 26, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 26, 1997, 12:45 local time
- Place: Creswell, OR
- Airport: Hobby Field Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.9008° N, 123.0202° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.9008&lon=-123.0202&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6394W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6394W-2013-04-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna P210N (registry code 2073454, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-p210n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-520 series (registry code 17040, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA P210N
- Reported engine: CONT TSIO520AF
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 894 total, 92 in this make and model, 39 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA97LA216](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97LA216) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970926029159A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

LOST POWER ENROUTE. FLIPPED OVER LANDING FUEL SELECTOR ON EMPTY TANK. FUEL IN OTHER. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF HE MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM 'BOTH' TO 'RIGHT' AND DID NOT SUBSEQUENTLY REPOSITION IT FROM 'RIGHT', RESULTING IN FUEL STARVATION AS THE AIRCRAFT CRUISED AT 16,000 FEET ABOUT 3 HOURS AFTER TAKEOFF.  THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) AND WAS DIRECTED TO A NEARBY AIRPORT WHERE HE ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING; HOWEVER, HE WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING THE AIRPORT RUNWAY.  IN THE ENSUING FORCED LANDING, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A DITCH AND FLIPPED OVER, COMING TO REST IN A FIELD NEAR THE RUNWAY. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION FOUND 35 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK, NO FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK, AND THE FUEL SELECTOR POSITIONED TO 'RIGHT.'  PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK (POH) DATA INDICATE THE AIRPLANE TAKES APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES TO DESCEND FROM 16,000 FEET TO THE EMERGENCY AIRPORT ELEVATION (535 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL) IN A DESCENT AT BEST GLIDE SPEED (APPROXIMATELY 85 KNOTS INDICATED AIRSPEED) WITH PROPELLER WINDMILLING AND FLAPS AND GEAR UP.  THE POH 'ENGINE FAILUR                                                                 E IN FLIGHT' PROCEDURE DIRECTS THE PILOT TO CHECK FUEL QUANTITY AND PLACE THE FUEL SELECTOR ON THE FULLEDT TANK.

## 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 SEA97LA216](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97LA216), Sep 26, 1997: Cessna P210N (N6394W), Creswell, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper fuel management in which the fuel selector was positioned on tank with inadequate fuel resulting in fuel starvation. Also causal was the pilot's failure to perform the pilot…

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.

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