- Date
- July 27, 2021, 08:45 local (14:45 UTC)
- Place
- Peyton, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N6162RCessna T210F
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Fuel related
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20210727012969A
- Case key
- 103579
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 fuel mismanagement that resulted in a complete loss of engine power during climb and subsequent impact with terrain during a forced landing.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that during the climb after takeoff, the engine began to run rough. To restore full engine power, the pilot selected the left and right fuel tanks numerous times. The engine subsequently experienced a complete loss of power, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field about one mile south of the airport during which the airplane impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A postaccident examination revealed the airplane’s left fuel tank contained useable fuel. The airplane’s right fuel was empty (except for unusable fuel), which resulted in fuel starvation and the loss of engine power.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated the engine began to run rough during climb after takeoff. To restore full engine power, the pilot selected the left and right fuel tanks numerous times. The engine subsequently experienced a complete loss of power, and the pilot performed a forced landing on a field about one mile south of the airport. The airplane sustained substantial damage that included damage to the horizontal stabilizer. Postaccident examination revealed that the airplane did not receive a recent annual inspection within the past 12 months, and there were several inspection panels within the airplane that were not installed. The right fuel tank was empty (except for unusable fuel), which resulted in fuel starvation and loss of engine power The pilot stated there was no mechanical malfunction/failure of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6162R
- Reported as
- Cessna T210F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- T210-0062
- Built
- 1965
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Pilot
- Registered owner
- Smjd LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2018
- Departed
- COS · Colorado Springs, CO
- Destination
- FLY · Peyton, CO
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- KFLY
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 10, 2021
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,265 total · 256 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 6 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.36 inHg
- Observed at
- FLY, 1 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 28, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 11.9 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.