- Date
- October 23, 1994, 21:00 local (Oct 24, 1994, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Manhattan, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6663XCessna 210A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report February 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941023035689A
- Case key
- 9785
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
total loss of engine power for reason(s) undetermined. A factor was the dark night.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated that while operating the airplane engine at reduced power, making a VFR approach to the airport of intended landing, the engine suffered a total loss of power resulting in an off airport forced landing on a dark night. An inspection subsequent to the accident found fuel in both main fuel tanks and the engine ran when started with no anomalies noted in the airplane or engine.
Factual narrative
On October 23, 1994, at 2100 central daylight time, a Cessna 210A, N6663X, registered to Heartland Aviation of Manhattan, Kansas, collided with wires, a tree, and the terrain during a forced landing, following a total loss of engine power. The accident occurred at night, in a field near Manhattan, Kansas. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The instrument rated private pilot reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight. No flight plan was on file. The flight departed Topeka, Kansas, at 2040, with the intended destination of Manhattan, Kansas.
The pilot stated that he was making a VFR approach to runway 21 at Manhattan, Kansas, with the engine power reduced for the approach. The engine suffered a total loss of engine power and he was unable to re-start it. He then concentrated on making a forced landing, on a dark night, off airport.
A subsequent examination failed to reveal any pre-existent anomalies in the airplane or engine. The engine was test run and found to operate. There was fuel found in both main tanks; approximately nine gallons in the left and ten gallons in the right tanks.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6663X
- Reported as
- Cessna 210A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 210-57663
- Airframe hours
- 2,760
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-E, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Heartland Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 15, 1994 · 6 hours before
- Departed
- TOP · Topeka, KS
- Airport
- MHK · Manhattan, runway 21, 7,000 × 150 ft
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
- 22
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 358 total · 15 in this make and model · 342 as pilot in command · 31 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 60° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MHK
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N6663X · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.