# NTSB CHI07CA047: Cessna T210L, N6864C, North St. Louis, MO, December 27, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 26, 2006, 21:15 local (Dec 27, 2006, 03:15 UTC) - Place: North St. Louis, MO - Coordinates: 38.838054, -90.28778 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8381&lon=-90.2878&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report March 26, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: St. Louis, MO FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 65161 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI07CA047 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/65161/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI07CA047 ## Probable cause Fuel starvation due to an inadequate fuel supply. A factor associated with the accident was the soft terrain encountered during the landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(partial) - nonmechanical, cruise - normal - fuel supply - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - starvation (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - light condition - night (contributing factor) - Nose gear collapsed, landing - roll - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) - landing gear,nose gear assembly - overload ## Analysis The airplane contacted trees and the terrain during an off airport forced landing following a loss of engine power. The pilot reported he was making "slow banking" turns to the left during the flight in order to maneuver around controlled airspace. He reported that during the flight the engine began running rough at which time he noticed the fuel flow dropped from 90 pounds per hour (pph) to 70 pph with a manifold pressure of 24 inches. The pilot reported he turned on the fuel boost pump and switched to the right fuel tank. He stated that the engine power increased, but the fuel flow was still fluctuating between 110 and 80 pph. The pilot stated he then heard the engine stop at which time he switched the fuel selector back to the left tank. The pilot reported the engine regained power, but the fuel flow continued to fluctuate from 85 to below 70 pph. The pilot reported the airplane could not maintain level flight and he began looking for an off airport landing site. He located a large, lit parking lot and descended toward it. During the descent, the pilot realized he was not going to be able to make it to the parking lot, so he located a nearby clearing in which to land. The pilot reported he confirmed the landing gear were extended and he added 10 degrees of flaps prior to landing. He also turned the fuel selector to Off and shut off the master switch prior to touchdown. The nose gear collapsed after contacting the soft terrain and the wingtip contacted trees during the landing roll. Post accident inspection of the airplane failed to reveal any mechanical failure/malfunction that would have resulted in the loss of engine power. The inspection revealed there was less than a pint of fuel remaining in the right fuel tank and approximately seven gallons of fuel in the left fuel tank. No fuel was present in the fuel lines from the fuel pump to the fuel flow valve. The pilot reported he departed with 15 gallons of fuel on board the airplane and that the accident flight lasted approximately 10 minutes. ## Factual narrative The airplane contacted soft terrain and trees during an off airport forced landing following a loss of engine power. The pilot reported he was making "slow banking" turns to the left during the flight in order to maneuver around controlled airspace. He reported that during the flight the engine began running rough at which time he noticed the fuel flow dropped from 90 pounds per hour (pph) to 70 pph with a manifold pressure of 24 inches. The pilot reported he turned on the fuel boost pump and switched to the right fuel tank. He stated that the engine power increased, but the fuel flow was still fluctuating between 110 and 80 pph. The pilot stated he then heard the engine stop at which time he switched the fuel selector back to the left tank. The pilot reported the engine regained power, but the fuel flow continued to fluctuate from 85 to below 70 pph. The pilot reported the airplane could not maintain level flight and he began looking for an off airport landing site. He located a large, lit parking lot and descended toward it. During the descent, the pilot realized he was not going to be able to make it to the parking lot, so he located a nearby clearing in which to land. The pilot reported he confirmed the landing gear were extended and he added 10 degrees of flaps prior to landing. He also turned the fuel selector to Off and shut off the master switch prior to touchdown. The nose gear collapsed after contacting the soft terrain and the wingtip contacted trees during the landing roll. Post accident inspection of the airplane by inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration, St. Louis, Missouri, Flight Standards District Office, failed to reveal any mechanical failure/malfunction that would have resulted in the loss of engine power. The inspectors reported they drained less than a pint of fuel from the right fuel tank and approximately seven gallons of fuel from the left fuel tank. The inspectors also reported there was no fuel present in the fuel lines from the fuel pump to the fuel flow valve. The pilot reported he departed with 15 gallons of fuel on board the airplane and that the accident flight lasted approximately 10 minutes. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6864C](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6864C-2008-09-30), registration cancelled 2008-09-30, S/N 21061317, built 1976 (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: 21061317 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520H reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Registered owner: St. Charles Flying Service - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: CPS, Cahokia, IL - Destination: 3SQ, St. Charles, MO ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; flight hours: 2,062 total, 1,450 in this make and model, 1,984 as pilot in command, 107 in the last 90 days, 29 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 250° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 34 °F, dew point 21 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg - Observed at: STL ## 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 20061226027279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061226027279A), Dec 26, 2006: Cessna T210L, St Louis, MO, Substantial damage. (-23) This flight originated at 3SQ, st. charles municipal (st. charles, MO) and continued to klit (little rock, AR) where he did not refuel. The pilot then… 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.