# NTSB ATL02LA070: Cessna 210, N1844F, Naples, FL, March 30, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 30, 2002, 15:15 local (20:15 UTC) - Place: Naples, FL - Coordinates: 26.153888, -81.781112 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.1539&lon=-81.7811&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 1, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 54430 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL02LA070 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54430/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54430 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL02LA070 ## Probable cause Total loss of engine power due to improper maintenance by company maintenance personnel which allowed the mixture control linkage to disconnect in flight which resulted in an emergency descent to landing into unsuitable terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(partial) - mech failure/malf, takeoff - initial climb - maintenance - improper, company maintenance personnel (cause) - mixture control,linkage - disconnected (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) ## Analysis According to the pilot, after departing Naples Airport, he was given clearance to climb to his requested altitude. The pilot reported that, at 800 feet the engine started to lose manifold pressure. Efforts by the pilot to restore manifold pressure were unsuccessful. The pilot declared an emergency and headed back to the Naples airport. When he saw that he would not make the airport; he elected to make an emergency landing in a mangrove swamp 1/4 mile from the airport. The airplane collided with several trees, and came to rest in about three inches of water. Following the airplane's recovery from the swamp, an examination of the cabin found the throttle and mixture controls in their takeoff positions. Examination of the engine compartment found the mixture cable attachment and the fuel control disconnected. The fuel control arm was not deformed from impact. The mixture cable attachment rod-end was not deformed from impact, and the mixture attachment bolt, nut and washer were missing. At the time of this examination, the mixture arm on the fuel control was in the closed or cutoff position. Examination of the airplane's log books found that the fuel control bracket was replaced during a maintenance visit on December 6, 2001. The airframe had accumulated 27.8 hours since that maintenance had been performed. ## Factual narrative On March 30, 2002, at 1515 eastern standard time, a Cessna 210, N1844F, registered to and operated by the airline transport pilot, made an emergency landing following a loss of engine power in a mangrove swamp while on approach to Naples Municipal Airport, Florida. The personal flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the pilot was not injured. The flight departed Naples Municipal Airport, Florida, at 1505. According to the pilot, after departing Naples Municipal Airport, he was given clearance to climb to his requested altitude. The pilot reported that, at 800 feet the engine started to lose manifold pressure. Efforts by the pilot to restore manifold pressure were unsuccessful. The pilot declared an emergency and headed back to the Naples airport. When he saw that he would not make the airport he elected to make an emergency landing in a mangrove swamp 1/4 mile from the airport. The airplane collided with several trees and came to rest in about three inches of water substantially damaging both wings the horizontal stabilizers and empennage. Following the airplane's recovery from the swamp, an examination of the cabin found the throttle and mixture controls full forward or their takeoff positions. Examination of the engine compartment found the mixture cable attachment and the fuel control disconnected. The fuel control arm was not deformed from impact. The mixture cable attachment rod-end was not deformed from impact, and the mixture attachment bolt, nut and washer were missing. At the time of this examination, the mixture arm on the fuel control was in the closed or cutoff position. Examination of the airplane's log books found that the fuel control bracket was replaced during a maintenance visit on December 6, 2001. The airframe had accumulated 27.8 hours since that maintenance had been performed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1844F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1844F-2006-08-11), registration cancelled 2006-08-11, S/N 21058744, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 210 - Registry model: [Cessna 210F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-210f) (registry code 2073418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 21058744 - Airframe hours: 2999 - Engines: Continental IO-520-A29B 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: John M. Gray - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 1, 2001, 93 hours before - Departed: APF, NAPLES - Destination: TPF, Tampa, FL - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: APF, Naples Municipal, runway 14, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review October 25, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 5,200 total, 750 in this make and model, 4,772 as pilot in command, 23 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 13 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: APF, 1 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020330005039A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020330005039A), Mar 30, 2002: Cessna 210F, Naples, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft crashed 1/4 mile short of runway 14 due to loss of power. Investigation found the mixture cable rodend disconnected from fuel control mixture… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 13, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54430. 930 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 522 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40394901&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Pilot Statement (item 2, .PDF, 408 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40394902&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Redacted.PDF 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. --- 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.