- Date
- August 7, 1996, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Muskogee, OK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8139ZCessna 210-5
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 23, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960807026039A
- Case key
- 19943
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
loss of engine power due to fuel contamination. The lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing was a related factor.
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
According to the pilot, the engine started to run rough, and then lost power, while in cruise flight at 6,500 feet MSL. The pilot attempted to land at a nearby airport; however, he subsequently landed short of the airport in a field approximately one mile southeast of the airport. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted a fence and fence posts, which resulted in leading edge damage to one wing and structural damage to both wing struts. The engine was examined by an FAA inspector, the aircraft owner, and a representative from the engine manufacturer at an local FBO. The contents of the fuel system were examined, and evidence of fuel contamination was found. The fuel in the tanks was yellow/straw in color and lacked the appearance of 100LL fuel; however, no diesel or jet fuel was detected. New spark plugs were installed, and the airplane was defueled and serviced with fresh 100LL fuel. The engine was started, and it operated normally through the normal operating range.
Factual narrative
On August 7, 1996, at 1000 central daylight time, a Cessna 210-5, N8139Z, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Muskogee, Oklahoma. The airplane was owned and operated by a private owner. The private pilot and his two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. A weather briefing was obtained by the pilot prior to the flight and a flight plan was not filed. The flight originated from a private airstrip near Lonoke, Arkansas, at approximately 0800.
According to the pilot, the engine started to run rough, and subsequently lost power while in cruise flight at 6,500 feet MSL. The pilot attempted to land at the Davis Airport, near Muskogee, Oklahoma; however, he was not able to reach the airport and landed in a field approximately one mile southeast of the airport.
During the landing roll, the airplane impacted a fence and fence posts resulting in leading edge damage to one wing and structural damage to both wing struts.
The engine was examined by the FAA inspector, the aircraft owner, and a representative from the engine manufacturer on August 28, 1996 at an FBO at Davis Field in Muskogee, Oklahoma. The contents of the fuel system were examined. The fuel in the tanks was "discolored" by an unknown substance and appeared yellow/straw in color. The fuel was also lacking the appearance and smell of 100LL fuel; however, no diesel or jet fuel was detected.
New spark plugs were installed as the fuel tanks were drained and serviced with fresh 100LL fuel. The engine was started and operated normally through the normal operating range by the pilot/owner of the aircraft. The loss of engine power was attributed to the contaminated fuel found in the fuel tanks.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8139Z
- Reported as
- Cessna 210-5
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2050139
- Airframe hours
- 1,348
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-S, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gene S. Carmical
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 15, 1996 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- Lonoke, AR
- Destination
- GTR · Guthrie, OK
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
- 61
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 500 total · 369 in this make and model · 500 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.