# Accident 20121120026789A: Cessna 210D, San Rafael, CA, November 20, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 20, 2012, 11:00 local time
- Place: San Rafael, CA
- Airport: San Rafael Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.0253° N, 122.5033° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.0253&lon=-122.5033&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3919Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3919Y-2018-01-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 210D (registry code 2073414, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-210d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 210D
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,123 total, 113 in this make and model, 25 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR13LA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA047) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121120026789A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 WPR13LA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA047), Nov 20, 2012: Cessna 210 (N3919Y), San Rafael, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power during initial climb for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

## Other reports on N3919Y (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19990712022159I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990712022159I), Jul 12, 1999: Cessna 210D (N3919Y), Susanville, CA, Minor damage. (From -23) the pilot stated that he just forgot to extend his landing gear! He said they were participating in an eaa fly-in and there were a number of other…

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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