# Accident 20200304008689A: Cessna 210L, Needles, CA, March 4, 2020 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 4, 2020, 20:30 local time - Place: Needles, CA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.6439° N, 114.9469° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6439&lon=-114.9469&mi=10 - Aircraft: N123CE, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N123CE) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 210L (registry code 2073448, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-210l) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental TSIO-520 series (registry code 17040, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 210L - Reported engine: CONT MOTOR TSIO-520 SER - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 1 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot - Pilot flight hours: 7,700 total, 2,900 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR20LA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA101) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200304008689A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. N123CE WAS TRACKED BY LOS ANGELES CENTER (ZLA) DUE TO A REQUEST BY HOMELAND SECURITY. N123CE WAS LOST ON RADAR AT 0430Z NEAR THE NEEDLES VOR R-245, 27 DME. SHORTLY AFTER, THE ROC CALLED AND INFORMED ZLA THAT THE PILOT OF N123CE CALLED HIS GIRLFRIEND AND ADVISED HER THAT HE HAD CRASHED. THE PIC CALLED 911, SPOKE TO THE LOCAL SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WHO LOCATED N123CE AT THE POSITION PROVIDED BY THE PIC'S CELL PHONE. PER THE YUMA ATC CHIEF, N123CE VIOLATED R2308/R2507/R2301 WHILE FLYING SOUTHBOUND TOWARD MEXICO BEFORE RETURNING NORTHBOUND. N123CE FLEW FROM APPROXIMATELY 35NM SOUTH OF THE US/MEXICO BORDER NORTHBOUND ACROSS THE ADIZ AT APPROXIMATELY 0308Z. N123CE SUBSEQUENTLY ENTERED INTO R2510 AND R2507 WHERE IT CRASHED AFTER EXHAUSTING ITS ONBOARD FUEL. THE PIC ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO FLY THE ROUTE: HENDERSON (HND) TO ST. GEORGE (SGU) TO HENDERSON (HND). THE PILOT ^/OWNER^ HAD RECENTLY HAD AN ANNUAL INSPECTION COMPLETED ON HIS AIRCRAFT (N123CE) AND INTENDED TO RETURN THE FERRY PILOT TO SGU THEN FLY BACK TO HIS HOME BASE HND. THE PIC'S INTENDED FLIGHT ROUTE WAS TO THE EAST TOWARDS LAKE MEAD SKIRTING THE LAS VEGAS CLASS B AIRSPACE PRIOR TO LANDING AT HND. ACCORDING TO THE PIC, N123CE DEPARTED SGU AT 1730L (0030Z), FLYING SOUTHBOUND FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES. THE PIC STATED HE STOPPED AT MESQUITE, NV FOR FUEL TAKING ON 77 GALLONS. NOTE: THE FUEL RECEIPT PROVIDED BY THE PIC SHOWS THAT N123 RECEIVED 77.38 GALLONS OF AVGAS AT PARKER, AZ AT 1715L ON 3/04/20. AFTER DEPARTING SGU, N123CE HEADED SOUTH AND CONTINUED ON A SOUTHBOUND COURSE UNTIL THE PILOT THOUGHT HIS GPS WAS MALFUNCTIONING AS IT SHOWED THE DISTANCE TO HND INCREASING NOT DECREASING (PILOT'S WORDS). AT THIS TIME THE PILOT THEN ELECTED TO TURN NORTH. IT WAS DARK BY THIS POINT AND THE PIC THEN CHOSE TO PULL OUT HIS SECTIONAL CHART TO DETERMINE HIS POSITION. HE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL, BUT HELD OUT HOPE AS HIS GPS SHOWED THE DISTANCE TO HND AS DECREASING. ## 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 WPR20LA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA101), Mar 5, 2020: Cessna 210 (N123CE), Needles, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons due to a lack of available evidence. ## Other reports on N123CE (4) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19990320019649I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990320019649I), Mar 20, 1999: Cessna T210L (N123CE), Jean, NV, Minor damage. (-5) Pilot forgot to extend landing gear prior to landing. Minor damage. No injuries to sole occupant. - [Incident 19941028044989I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19941028044989I), Oct 28, 1994: Cessna T210L (N123CE), Reno, NV, Minor damage. Struck cement curb taxiing on unlit ramp. Impact folded nose gear. No taxi lines in area. - [Incident 19800725062639I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800725062639I), Jul 25, 1980: Cessna T210L (N123CE), Oakridge, OR, Minor damage. Pilot failed to extend gear before landing. - [Incident 19780215006649I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780215006649I), Feb 15, 1978: Cessna T210L (N123CE), Aberdeen, MD, Substantial damage. Pilot landed short of the airport, out of fuel. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.