# NTSB CEN15LA031: Cessna T210M, Brownsville, TX, October 26, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 26, 2014, 12:21 local (17:21 UTC) - Place: Brownsville, TX - Coordinates: 25.917222, -97.423332 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.9172&lon=-97.4233&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 1, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 90309 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN15LA031 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90309/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90309 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA031 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, which resulted from the pilot’s inadequate preflight fuel planning. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he did not visually check the fuel quantity in the fuel tanks before takeoff. While the airplane was on final approach to land, the engine stopped producing power. The airplane impacted trees and terrain about 1/2 mile north of the airport. A postaccident examination revealed that the fuel tanks were intact, and no evidence of fuel leakage was found at the accident site. The right fuel tank contained about 1/8 of a tank of fuel, and the fuel selector was in the right tank position. The left fuel tank was empty. ## Factual narrative On October 26, 2014, about 1221 central daylight time, a Cessna T210M, Mexican registration XBNCZ, collided with trees following a loss of engine power while on final approach to land at the Brownsville International Airport (BRO), Brownsville, Texas. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The aircraft was registered to the pilot and operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight which originated from Monterrey, Mexico. The pilot reported that he performed a preflight on the airplane prior to departure, but he did not visually check the fuel quantity in the fuel tanks. The pilot reported that the left fuel tank ran dry during the flight so he switched to the right fuel tank. The pilot was on final approach to land on runway 17 at BRO when the accident occurred. He stated that he realized that the engine was not producing power when he attempted to add power while on final approach at 70 knots with 20 degrees of flaps extended. The airplane continued to descend and it contacted trees and the terrain about ½ mile north of the airport. The both wings and the fuselage sustained substantial damage during the impact. The fuel tanks were intact at the accident site. The right tank contained about 1/8 of a tank of fuel. The fuel selector was on the right tank position. The left tank was empty. ## Aircraft - Registration: XBNCZ (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA T210M - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 62185 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Luis Cantu Chapa - Registered owner: Luis Cantu Chapa - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: Monterrey - Destination: BRO, Brownsville, TX - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: BRO, Brownsville Int'l Airport, runway 17, 6,000 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 64; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 502 total, 260 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: BRO ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 27, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90309. 289 KB in all. - Record of Conversation (item 1, .PDF, 71 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40425600&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-Master.PDF - Pilot Statement (item 2, .PDF, 112 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40425601&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - FAA Email (item 3, .PDF, 106 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40425602&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Email-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.