ERA15LA258

The pilot reported that, in preparation for a local flight, he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane, which included checking the fuel gauges, but that he did not look into the fuel tanks to verify the fuel quantity. He recalled that both fuel gauges indicated below 1/2 full. The engine start, taxi, and run-up were performed uneventfully; however, several minutes after takeoff, the engine lost all power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and performed a forced landing to a cornfield about 6 miles north of the departure airport. The forced landing was performed with the landing gear retracted, and the airplane came to rest upright, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Due to injuries sustained in the accident, the pilot had no further recollection of the accident flight. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the left main fuel tank had about 5 gallons of fuel remaining and that the right main fuel tank had no fuel. Additionally, the fuel selector was found positioned to the right main fuel tank. Further, no fuel was found in the fuel line connecting the gascolator to the engine-driven fuel pump and in the fuel line connecting the engine-driven fuel pump to the fuel flow divider.

On July 6, 2015, about 2000 eastern daylight time, a Cessna T210L, N59024, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a field in Oneonta, New York, following a total loss of engine power during cruise flight. The commercial pilot was seriously injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight that originated from Oneonta Municipal Airport (N66), Oneonta, New York, about 1950.According to the pilot's written statement, he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane that included checking the fuel gauges, but he did not look into the fuel tanks to verify fuel quantity. He recalled that both fuel gauges indicated below one-half full. The engine start, taxi, and engine run-up were performed uneventfully. Due to injuries sustained in the accident, the pilot had no further recollection of the accident flight. The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot reported to first responders that several minutes after takeoff, the engine lost all power. He was unable to restart the engine and performed a forced landing to a cornfield about 6 miles north of N66. The forced landing was performed with the landing gear retracted and the airplane came to rest upright. Examination of the wreckage by the FAA inspector revealed that the airplane came to rest nose-down and left wing low. The inspector observed substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. The inspector also observed approximately 5 gallons of fuel in the left main fuel tank and did not observe any fuel in the right main fuel tank. He added that the fuel selector was found positioned to the right main fuel tank. The inspector disconnected the fuel line from the gascolator to the engine driven fuel pump and did not observe any fuel. He also disconnected the fuel line from the engine driven fuel pump to the fuel flow divider and did not observe any fuel. Data were successfully downloaded from an onboard digital engine monitor. Review of the data revealed that approximately 9 minutes, 30 seconds after engine start, the exhaust gas temperature for all six cylinders decreased rapidly, from about 1,500 degrees F to 250 degrees F.