# NTSB CEN17LA247: Cessna P210N, N210HG, Eagle, CO, June 30, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 30, 2017, 12:15 local (18:15 UTC) - Place: Eagle, CO - Coordinates: 39.64611, -106.893058 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6461&lon=-106.8931&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 6, 2018 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO, CMI - NTSB case key (mKey): 95470 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN17LA247 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/95470/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95470 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA247 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation for reasons that could not be determined because an examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine fuel and control: fuel distribution](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057310): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna P210N, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057310/cases.md?model=2073454), [All aircraft, 55 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057310/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna P210N, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2073454), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna P210N, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2073454), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Approach: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna P210N, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2073454), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was on a cross-country flight and as he entered the traffic pattern at his destination airport the engine lost power. The pilot completed the "engine failure during flight" checklist, but the engine did not restart. He then selected a nearby road for the forced landing. After the accident, fire department and recovery personnel reported fuel was leaking from the airplane. It was also reported that the airplane had been filled with about 30 gallons of fuel, nine days before the accident flight. After recovery of the airplane, a test engine run was conducted. The engine was started and run to power. The examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any discrepancies that would account for a loss of engine power. A review of the data from the airplane's engine data monitor (EDM) revealed several flights, including the accident flight. The EDM did not record any flights between the time the airplane was fueled and the accident flight. A plot of the accident flight data, revealed at the end of the flight, a slight increase and subsequent decrease in exhaust gas temperatures (EGTs), which was uniform across all six engine cylinders; typical of fuel being cutoff to the engine. The position of the fuel selector during the approach to the airfield could not be verified; fuel was available in the airplane fuel tanks. ## Factual narrative On June 30, 2017, about 1215 mountain daylight time, a Cessna P210N airplane, N210HG conducted a forced landing near Eagle, Colorado. The pilot was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged during the landing. The airplane was registered to and operated by Tridelaw Aviation, LLC, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The pilot reported that he departed Montrose, Colorado (KMTJ) en route to the Eagle County Regional Airport (KEGE). He added that he departed KMTJ with 60 gallons of fuel and 8 quarts of oil in the P210. As he approached KEGE, he contacted the tower controller and was directed to enter the downwind. As he entered the traffic pattern and configured the airplane for the landing, the engine lost power. The pilot reported that he followed the 'engine failure during flight' checklist, and switched fuel tanks; however, the engine did not restart. The pilot informed the controller and selected an empty road for the forced landing. During the landing, the left wing impacted a pole, the airplane then exited the road, coming to rest in an upright position. During the impact with the pole, about a 5 ft section was torn from the wing; damage was also noted on the fuselage and to the four-bladed propeller. Fire department personal arrived on scene and noted fuel leaking from the airplane, so they applied a water-based fire retardant to both wing fuel tanks. The responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector also stated that after the recovery of the airplane fuel was leaking from at least one of the wing fuel tanks. It was also reported that the airplane was filled with about 30 gallons of fuel on June 21. The airplane was recovered and transported to a salvage facility, where an examination was conducted by the NTSB Investigator-in-Charge and a technical representative from the engine manufacturer. A fuel can was connected to the left-wing fuel line and a visual engine examination was conducted. A slight fuel leak was noted on the fuel metering unit, otherwise no external visual abnormalities were noted with the engine. The top set of sparkplugs were removed; the sparkplugs had normal wear and light grey deposits. Each cylinder was borescoped; the engine crankshaft was rotated by hand, and spark was observed on each ignition lead. The airplane was equipped with a fuel flow and an JPI engine data monitor (EDM) 700 system. No information could be retrieved from the fuel flow system; however, the EDM contained 28 files, dated from May 27, 2017 to June 30, 2017. A review of the monitor's information revealed that there were two flights on June 19th, one flight on June 20th, and a one-hour flight on June 30th, which corresponded to the accident flight. The June 30th flight was plotted; just before the end of the data, there was a slight rise in exhaust gas temperatures (EGT), followed by a decrease. The rise anddecrease in temperatures were uniform across all six cylinders. In order to conduct an engine run, and due to damage to the engine's propeller, two blades were shortened to provide blade symmetry and balance. Prior to the engine run, the fuel strainer was opened and liquid consistent in appearance with water, was drained from the fuel line. The engine was started and run to 2,500 rpm; a magneto check was also performed, with no abnormalities noted. During the run, fuel continued to leak from the fuel metering unit. After the run, the unit was disassembled, the internal O-rings appeared flattened or degraded. It was not determined if the O-ring leakage was due to impact to the metering unit during the accident, degradation of the O-rings due to the fire retardant, drying out of the O-rings, or natural degradation of the O-rings over time. The fuel metering inlet screen was removed and was absent any debris and contamination. A reason for the loss of engine power was not determined. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N210HG](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N210HG), registered now, S/N P21000569, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA P210N (N) - Registry model: [Cessna P210N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-p210n) (registry code 2073454) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: P21000569 - Year built: 1980 - Airframe hours: 3422 - Engines: CONT MOTOR TSIO-520 SER 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Tridelaw Aviation LLC - Registered owner: Tridelaw Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 15, 2016 - Departed: KMTJ, Montrose, CO - Destination: EGE, Eagle, CO - Airport: EGE, Eagle County Regional ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 67; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,950 total, 80 in this make and model, 1,940 as pilot in command, 30.3 in the last 90 days, 20.2 in the last 30 days, 0.8 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 30.21 inHg - Observed at: KEGE ## 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 20170630009249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170630009249A), Jun 30, 2017: Cessna P210N, Eagle, CO, Substantial damage. On 6/30/2017 N210HG departed montrose, CO, enroute to Eagle, CO. At Eagle the engine quit as the throttle was reduced for approach. Attempts to restart were… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 30, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95470. 2.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40457405&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Engine Monitor (item 2, .PDF, 126 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40457406&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Engine%20Monitor-Master.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 3, .PDF, 91 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40457407&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Master.PDF - Photos (item 4, .PDF, 2 photos, 327 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40457408&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-Master.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 5, .PDF, 341 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40457409&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Master.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.