What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 20, 2012 at about 11:00 am PST, N3919Y, a Cessna 210, performed a forced landing due to a power unit failure during take-off climb out. The sole occupant a certified commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight originated from the San Rafael Airport (CA35) and was intending to land at chico, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the proposed cross-country flight, which was being operated in accordance with 14 code of federal regulations part 91.
The pilot states the powerplant had an abrupt power loss at 500 feet altitude and just minutes into the flight. He admits to checking the fuel level prior to the flight, by using the gages on the instrument panel and physically with a dip stick. He states there was roughly 30 gallons of fuel onboard prior to takeoff.
The pilot states just after the accident the he witnessed fuel draining from the impact area on the right forward side of the fuselage.
A first responder stated smelling and witnessing fuel in the area of the accident just minutes after the accident.
FAA inspector in charge was on site 3.5 hours after the accident but could not find any evidence of fuel at the accident site. No fuel odors, no fuel on the ground or water and no fuel in either fuel tank.
The aircraft was removed from the site and has been stored in a secured location until further investigation of the powerplant can be accomplished.
On 01/16/2013 inspector richard t. dilbeck, ASI from sacramento FSDO witnessed N3919Y'S engine being run while still installed on the aircraft. The test run proved no abnormalities were present. He found damage to the fuel system was caused by the accident and the amount of fuel aboard the aircraft could not be determined. From the results of the test run it has been determined N3919Y experienced fuel exhaustion, resulting in a power unit failure.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 20, 2012 AT ABOUT 11:00 AM PST, N3919Y, A CESSNA 210, PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING DUE TO A POWER UNIT FAILURE DURING TAKE-OFF CLIMB OUT. THE SOLE OCCUPANT A CERTIFIED COMMERCIAL PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE SAN RAFAEL AIRPORT (CA35) AND WAS INTENDING TO LAND AT CHICO, CALIFORNIA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PROPOSED CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, WHICH WAS BEING OPERATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91.
THE PILOT STATES THE POWERPLANT HAD AN ABRUPT POWER LOSS AT 500 FEET ALTITUDE AND JUST MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT. HE ADMITS TO CHECKING THE FUEL LEVEL PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT, BY USING THE GAGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND PHYSICALLY WITH A DIP STICK. HE STATES THERE WAS ROUGHLY 30 GALLONS OF FUEL ONBOARD PRIOR TO TAKEOFF.
THE PILOT STATES JUST AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE HE WITNESSED FUEL DRAINING FROM THE IMPACT AREA ON THE RIGHT FORWARD SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE.
A FIRST RESPONDER STATED SMELLING AND WITNESSING FUEL IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT JUST MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT.
FAA INSPECTOR IN CHARGE WAS ON SITE 3.5 HOURS AFTER THE ACCIDENT BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF FUEL AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. NO FUEL ODORS, NO FUEL ON THE GROUND OR WATER AND NO FUEL IN EITHER FUEL TANK.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE SITE AND HAS BEEN STORED IN A SECURED LOCATION UNTIL FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE POWERPLANT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED.
ON 01/16/2013 INSPECTOR RICHARD T. DILBECK, ASI FROM SACRAMENTO FSDO WITNESSED N3919Y'S ENGINE BEING RUN WHILE STILL INSTALLED ON THE AIRCRAFT. THE TEST RUN PROVED NO ABNORMALITIES WERE PRESENT. HE FOUND DAMAGE TO THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS CAUSED BY THE ACCIDENT AND THE AMOUNT OF FUEL ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. FROM THE RESULTS OF THE TEST RUN IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED N3919Y EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION, RESULTING IN A POWER UNIT FAILURE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N3919Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.