# NTSB CEN21LA271: Cessna T210L, N30286, Buena Vista, CO, June 14, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 14, 2021, 07:00 local (13:00 UTC)
- Place: Buena Vista, CO
- Coordinates: 38.8422, -106.1311 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8422&lon=-106.1311&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 103271
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA271
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103271/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103271
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA271

## Probable cause

The partial loss of engine power due to a vane failure in the engine-driven fuel pump.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Engine fuel and control: fuel pump](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057314): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna T210L, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057314/cases.md?model=2073449), [All aircraft, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057314/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna T210L, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=2073449), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120); cases with it: [Cessna T210L, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md?model=2073449), [All aircraft, 1,074 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that the airplane was over mountains and near the destination airport when the engine temperature and fuel flow gauges “dropped” and the engine lost partial power. The pilot pushed the throttle in and turned on the auxiliary fuel pump to the “high” position, but those actions had no effect on the engine power. The pilot troubleshot the loss of power; however, there was no change. The pilot then located a flat, treeless area for a forced landing. During the forced landing the landing gear separated and the airplane came to a stop upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage, firewall, and left outboard wing. A postaccident examination of the airplane’s engine-driven fuel pump showed that one of the pump’s two carbon vanes had fractured in half. How the carbon vane fractured was not determined. The severed fuel pump vane likely resulted in fuel cavitation, a drop in pump outlet pressure, a gradual decrease in engine rpm, and subsequent partial loss of engine power.

## Factual narrative

On June 14, 2021, about 0700 mountain daylight time, a Cessna T210L, N30286, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Buena Vista, Colorado. The pilot sustained minor injuries, and the pilot-rated passenger was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that, while the airplane was flying over mountains and near the destination airport, the engine temperature and fuel flow gauges “dropped” immediately, and the engine lost partial power. The pilot reported that the power loss felt as if someone had retarded the throttle, so he “instantly” pushed the throttle in and turned on the auxiliary fuel pump to the “high” position. These actions had no effect on the engine, so the pilot tried to restart the engine, including attempting a hot start, but was unable to do so. The pilot located a flat, treeless area for a forced landing. During the forced landing the landing gear separated, and the airplane came to a stop upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage, firewall, and left outboard wing. A postaccident examination of the airplane’s engine-driven fuel pump showed that one of the pump’s two carbon vanes had fractured in half. No debris was found in the pump housing. No other preaccident failures or malfunctions were found that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane or engine. According to the engine manufacturer, operation of the pump with a severed vane would likely cause fuel cavitation, which would cause a drop in pump outlet pressure and could result in a gradual decrease in engine rpm.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N30286](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N30286-2023-08-19), registration cancelled 2023-08-19, S/N 21059910, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA T210L
- Registry model: [Cessna T210L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t210l) (registry code 2073449) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 21059910
- Year built: 1973
- Airframe hours: 3470
- Engines: Continental TSIO-520-H6B 265 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, May 28, 2021
- Departed: KBJC, Broomfield, CO
- Destination: KLXV, Leadville, CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: LXV, Leadville
- Equipment: ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 32; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 12, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 350 total, 250 in this make and model, 15 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 60° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 45 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter: 30.60 inHg
- Observed at: KLVX, 14 nm away
- METAR: METAR KLXV 141253 AUTO 06003 KT 10SM CLR 07/00 A3059 RMK AO2 SLP169 T00720000=

## 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 20210614008269A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210614008269A), Jun 14, 2021: Cessna T210L, Granite, CO, Substantial damage. One June 14 2021 at 0700 local during descent into klxv the aircraft experienced an uncommanded loss of power and landed off airport. Both occupants were…

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 20, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103271. 4.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15855526&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Buena%20Vista%20T210L%206120.1_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Airframe and engine examination report (item 2, PDF, 7 pages, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16061708&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Airframe%20and%20Engine%20Examination-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum of conversation, pilot (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15864091&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Wandsneider-Rel.pdf
- Accident location (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 364 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16037334&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Location,%20N30286-Rel.pdf
- Weather information (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 111 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16037324&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Weather%20Information%20KLVX%206_12_21-Rel.pdf
- Photographs (item 6, PDF, 2 pages, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15855846&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array,%20CEN21LA271-Rel.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.

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