# Accident 19990531005989A: Cessna P210N, Reno, NV, May 31, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 31, 1999, 10:40 local time
- Place: Reno, NV
- Airport: Reno/Tahoe International Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.4791° N, 119.7409° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4791&lon=-119.7409&mi=10
- Aircraft: N37MJ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N37MJ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna P210N (registry code 2073454, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-p210n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-520-P (registry code 17268, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA P210N
- Reported engine: CONT TSIO520P
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 202 total, 202 in this make and model, 35 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA203](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA203) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990531005989A

## Narrative

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

PILOT ADVISED TOWER ON FINAL FOR RWY 16R THAT HE WAS OUT OF FUEL AND CRASHED NORTH OF AIRPORT. 2 SERIOUS. (.4)WHILE ON A SECOND PRACTICE ILS APPROACH, THE PILOT ANNOUNCED TO THE RENO ATCT LOCAL CONTROLLER THAT HE WAS OUT OF FUEL.  THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN A FIELD 1 MILE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.  THE PILOT SAID THAT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THEY HAD PRACTICED HOLDING PATTERNS, A VOR APPROACH, AND ONE ILS APPROACH.  AFTER THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT, THE PILOT LOOKED AT THE RIGHT FUEL GAGE, WHICH READ EMPTY, AND SWITCHED THE SELECTOR TO THE LEFT TANK.  THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO EFFECT AN ENGINE RESTART PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH THE GROUND.  AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE.  HE DETERMINED THAT THE RESPONDING AIRPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT UNITS HAD TURNED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM THE LEFT TANK TO THE OFF POSITION.  EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM DISCLOSED THAT IT WAS INTACT.  TWO OUNCES OF FUEL WERE DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT WING TANK AND 13 OUNCES FROM THE RIGHT RESERVOIR TANK.  THE LEFT FUEL TANK CONTAINED ABOUT 25 GALLONS OF FUEL AND THE LEFT RESERVOIR TANK HAD 65 OUNCES.                                                                                                            (-23)MAY 31, 1999, AT 1040 HOURS PDT, A CESSNA P210N, N37MJ, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN FOLLOWING A NON-MECHANICAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 16R AT RENO, NEVADA. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS A LOCAL FLIGHT TO PROVIDE INSTRUMENT INSTRUCTION TO THE AIRCRAFT OWNER.  ACCORDING TO A PRELIMINARY REVIEW OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TAPES, AT 1039, A TRANSMISSION WAS HEARD BY ATC, FROM THE AIRCRAFT, ANNOUCING "MAYDAY, WE'RE OUT OF FUEL."  THE OWNER-PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD FLOWN FROM YERINGTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT TO RENO TO PICK UP HIS CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.  THE OWNER/PILOT WAS IN THE FINAL STAGES OF PREPARING FOR HIS INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES CHECKRIDE.  HE SAID THAT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THEY HAD PARCTICED HOLDING PATTERNS, VOR APPROACHES, AND ON ILS APPROACH.  THEY WERE ON THEIR SECOND ILS APPROACH WHEN THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER.

## 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 LAX99LA203](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA203), May 31, 1999: Cessna P210N (N37MJ), Reno, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fuel starvation resulting from the pilot's inattentive monitoring and management of the fuel system.

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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