CEN11LA034

The pilot used a power setting of 2500 rpm and 30 inches manifold pressure after departure and the airplane climbed through 7,000 feet at 110 knots indicated airspeed. The fuel pressure started fluctuating and the engine began accelerating and decelerating. The pilot turned the fuel pump to LOW BOOST and switched fuel tanks. Engine power continued to fluctuate and the engine rpm began to decay. The pilot turned back towards the departure airport. He was unable to restore power and, during the ensuing forced landing, the airplane impacted terrain that tore off the empennage, bent the right wing, and collapsed the landing gear. Both fuel tanks were found to be intact. The retrieval company reported draining "only a few gallons" of fuel from the tanks when the wreckage was recovered. The pilot indicated that over 60 gallons of fuel should have been on board. The engine was later functionally tested and operated smoothly at all power settings with no anomalies noted.

On October 25, 2010, approximately 1130 central daylight time, a Cessna T210N, N200WT, registered to and operated by DIT Corporation, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Presidio, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. The airline transport certificated pilot and one passenger on board the airplane were not injured. The cross-country flight originated at Presidio (T77), Texas, and was en route to El Paso (ELP), Texas. According to the pilot's accident report, he had flown from Santa Teresa, New Mexico, to T77. He took off from T77 and was climbing through 7,000 feet at 110 KIAS (knots indicated airspeed), using a power setting of 2500 RPM and 30 inches MAP (manifold pressure). Fuel pressure started fluctuating and the engine began "accelerating and decelerating." The pilot turned the fuel pump to LOW BOOST and switched fuel tanks. Engine power continued to fluctuate and RPMs began to decay. The pilot turned back towards T77. He was unable to restore power and during the ensuing forced landing, impacted terrain that tore off the empennage, bent the right wing, and collapsed the landing gear. Both fuel tanks were found to be intact. The retrieval company reported draining "only a few gallons" of fuel from the tanks when the wreckage was recovered. The pilot stated he had departed Santa Teresa with full fuel tanks (88 gallons), and the 1 hour, 5 minute flight to Presidio should have left "in excess of 60 gallons on board." On March 9, 2011, the engine was functionally tested at the facilities of Air Salvage of Dallas (Texas). According to the NTSB investigator's statement, the engine operated smoothly at all power settings with no anomalies noted.