19980520010279A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna T210M · Santa Barbara, CA · May 20, 1998

Date: May 20, 1998 · 15:19 local
Place: Santa Barbara, CA
Airport: Santa Barbara Municipal
Phase of flight: Final Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N6056B
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX98LA168
Reported as: Cessna T210M
Reported engine: Continental TSIO520K
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 605 total110 in this make and model18 in the last 90 days

N6056BRegistration cancelled Oct 30, 1998 · Cessna T210MS/N 21062672 Airframe modelCessna T210M

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The pilot reported that he did not visually check the fuel quantity prior to departure. He flew approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes. The aircraft holds 89 useable gallons of fuel, has a maximum endurance of about 3.7 hours at standard cruise, and burns approximately 24 gallons of fuel per hour. On the final leg of the flight, the pilot had the fuel selector on the left fuel tank. He was on final approach when the engine quit and believed he was out of gas. He was unsuccessful in restarting the engine and he turned the aircraft away from the beach and ditched in the water. The aircraft retriever reported both fuel tanks were found intact. He drained approximately 15 gallons of fuel from the right tank and found no fuel in the left tank. (-23) fuel mismanagement/fuel exhausted left tank. Aircraft engine stopped. Pilot unable to restart - ditched into pacific ocean near Santa Barbara.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL QUANTITY PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. HE FLEW APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS AND 10 MINUTES. THE AIRCRAFT HOLDS 89 USEABLE GALLONS OF FUEL, HAS A MAXIMUM ENDURANCE OF ABOUT 3.7 HOURS AT STANDARD CRUISE, AND BURNS APPROXIMATELY 24 GALLONS OF FUEL PER HOUR. ON THE FINAL LEG OF THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT HAD THE FUEL SELECTOR ON THE LEFT FUEL TANK. HE WAS ON FINAL APPROACH WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT AND BELIEVED HE WAS OUT OF GAS. HE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN RESTARTING THE ENGINE AND HE TURNED THE AIRCRAFT AWAY FROM THE BEACH AND DITCHED IN THE WATER. THE AIRCRAFT RETRIEVER REPORTED BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE FOUND INTACT. HE DRAINED APPROXIMATELY 15 GALLONS OF FUEL FROM THE RIGHT TANK AND FOUND NO FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK. (-23) FUEL MISMANAGEMENT/FUEL EXHAUSTED LEFT TANK. AIRCRAFT ENGINE STOPPED. PILOT UNABLE TO RESTART - DITCHED INTO PACIFIC OCEAN NEAR SANTA BARBARA.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX98LA168Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSanta Barbara, CAThe pilot's mismangement of the fuel by the improper position of the fuel tank selector.May 20, 1998 · Destroyed