- Date
- May 4, 1993, 12:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Apex, NC
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N761CQCessna 210M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930504014479A
- Case key
- 3205
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot had flown the airplane on multiple flights and refueled once. He stated that he used an average fuel burn of 17 gph. He estimated the fuel on board at the last departure point. En route, the engine quit and a forced landing was made to a field. The airplane fuel system was examined after the accident. About two ounces of fuel were found in the fuel system; with no evidence of fuel spillage at the accident site.
Factual narrative
On May 4, 1993, at about 1215 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 210M, N761CQ, collided with the ground during an emergency descent near Apex, North Carolina. The airplane was operated by Century Care of Laurinburg, Inc. under 14 CFR Part 91 and instrument flight rules. An instrument flight rules flight plan was in effect for the personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The private pilot, who holds an airplane instrument rating, received minor injuries, while the airplane was substantially damaged. Origination of the flight was Spartanburg, South Carolina, at about 1100, on the same day.
The airplane had been flown on multiple flights since the last refueling. During cruise flight to the final destination, the engine quit. After the accident, the aircraft fuel system was examined. Approximately two ounces of fuel was found in the left wing fuel tank. The fuel selector was found on the right wing fuel tank, which did not contain any visible fuel. There was no evidence of fuel spillage at the accident site.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N761CQ
- Reported as
- Cessna 210M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21062153
- Airframe hours
- 2,850
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-L, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Century Care Of Laurinburn Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 31, 1993 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- SPA · Spartanburg, SC
- Destination
- 5W5 · Fuquay-Varina, NC
- Flight plan
- IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,400 total · 400 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RDU, 10 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.