# NTSB CHI93LA217: Cessna P210, N4813P, Pulaski, IL, June 20, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 20, 1993, 11:37 local (16:37 UTC) - Place: Pulaski, IL - Coordinates: 37.210685, -89.199569 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.2107&lon=-89.1996&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 17, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9224 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI93LA217 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9224/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI93LA217 ## Probable cause the pilot's improper fuel tank selection resulting in fuel starvation. A factor in the accident is the soft emergency landing surface. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, descent - normal - fluid,fuel - starvation - fuel tank selector position - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Nose over, landing - roll - terrain condition - crop - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) ## Analysis THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER TO ATC AND COMMENTED HE THOUGHT HE HAD RUN OUT OF FUEL. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A BEAN FIELD AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER DURING THE LANDING ROLL. INVESTIGATION DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY OF USEABLE FUEL, AND THAT THE LEFT FUEL TANKS HELD APPROXIMATELY 10 GALLONS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT PRIOR TO THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER HE HAD BEEN USING THE RIGHT FUEL TANKS. THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE WAS TESTED AFTER THE ACCIDENT BY USING A SUBSTITUTE FUEL SYSTEM AND SELECTING THE LEFT FUEL TANK POSITION. THE ENGINE STARTED AND RAN WITHOUT ANY OBSERVED MECHANICAL ANOMALIES. ## Factual narrative On June 20, 1993, about 1137 central daylight time, a Cessna P210 airplane, N4813P, sustained substantial damage following a loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing on a field near Pulaski, Illinois. The solo private pilot was not injured. The flight operated in visual meteorological conditions under 14 CFR Part 91, and departed Saratoga Springs, New York, at 0610. The pilot had filed an instrument flight plan and was operating under instrument flight rules. According to the pilot's statement, while 45 miles from his destination, he was cleared by Springfield Air Traffic Control (ATC) to descend. At this time, he changed the selected fuel tank from the right to the left. After a few minutes the engine sputtered, so he changed the selected tank back to the right. The pilot then noticed that the fuel gauge for the right tank read zero. He turned on the emergency fuel pump but then lost all engine power. The pilot states, "... I put the emergency fuel pump on and told Springfield [ATC] that I inquired about landing in Lincoln, but it was 10 miles away and while I was having this conversation the airplane ran out of fuel with the fuel flow indicator registering zero." Postaccident examination of the airplane discovered approximately 2.5 gallons of fuel in the left tip tank, and 6.5 gallons in the left main tank. A mechanic who helped transport the airplane prior to the above examination, estimates that an additional 2 gallons of fuel was removed from the left main tank before the airplane was moved. The mechanic also reported that the right tanks appeared empty. No useable fuel was found in the right tanks during the postaccident examination. The accident airplane's engine was successfully started and ran on June 24, 1993, by an FAA inspector. A substitute left fuel tank was used. The fuel selector was positioned to the left tank, and the engine was operated for approximately one minute with no observed mechanical anomalies. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4813P](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4813P), registered now, S/N P21000115, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA P210 - 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: P21000115 - Airframe hours: 1350 - Engines: CONTINENTAL TSIO-520P 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Regal Quality Air, Inc. - Registered owner: Regal Quality Air, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: SARATOGA SPRING, NY - Destination: SPI, SPRINGFIELD, IL - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 1,360 total, 30 in this make and model, 900 as pilot in command, 50 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 9 knots - Visibility: 2 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,800 ft broken - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: SPI, 20 nm away ## 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 19930620019499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930620019499A), Jun 20, 1993: Cessna P210N, Pulaski, IL, Substantial damage. Pilot reported fuel exhaustion. Landed in open field. Fuel selector on empty tank. Over six gal in other fuel tank. 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.