- Date
- December 19, 1996, 14:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Kerrville, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6555YCessna 210N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 3, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19961219039749A
- Case key
- 20131
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
the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation, which resulted in fuel exhaustion due to an inadequate supply of fuel. A factor relating to the accident was: the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
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 lost power without warning while in cruise flight at 3,500 feet. The pilot reported that he switched tanks and activated the fuel boost pump to no avail. He intended to land on a road, but due to obstructions on the road, he executed a forced landing to an adjacent open field. The accident site was approximately 10 miles west of the destination airport. During the landing roll, in what turned out to be 'a very rocky field,' the outboard portion of the left wing impacted a tree, and both main landing gear were torn from the airframe. The pilot stated that before his departure from Rocksprings, Texas, the airplane's fuel totalizer was indicating 18.8 gallons of fuel remaining. The fuel gages were reading 1/4 in the left tank and between 1/8 and 1/4 in the right tank. The pilot calculated that the distance between the two airports was 56.6 nautical miles, and he intended to use his Loran to fly direct. Postaccident examination of the aircraft revealed that the right fuel tank was empty and only residual fuel remained in the left fuel tank. The fuel selector valve was found in the right tank position.
Factual narrative
On December 19, 1996, at 1445 central standard time, a Cessna 210N, N6555Y, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Kerrville, Texas. The airplane, owned and operated by a private owner, was being operated under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight for which no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Edwards County Airport in Rocksprings, Texas, at approximately 1420.
According to the pilot, the engine lost power without warning while in cruise flight at 3,500 feet MSL. The pilot reported that he switched tanks and activated the fuel boost pump to no avail. The pilot intended to land on a road, but due to obstructions on the road, he executed a forced landing to an adjacent open field. The accident site was approximately 10 miles west of the destination airport.
The pilot added that during the landing roll, in what turned out to be "a very rocky field," the outboard portion of the left wing impacted a tree, and "both main landing gear were torn from the airframe resulting in structural damage."
The pilot further stated that prior to his departure from Rocksprings, Texas, the airplane's fuel totalizer was indicating 18.8 gallons of fuel remaining. He reported that his fuel gages were reading 1/4 on the left tank and between 1/8 and 1/4 in the right tank. The pilot had calculated that the distance between the two airports was 56.6 nautical miles, and he intended to use his Loran to fly direct.
The wreckage was examined by two FAA inspectors on December 20, 1996. Examination of the aircraft revealed that the right fuel tank was empty and only residual fuel remained in the left fuel tank. The fuel selector valve was found in the right tank position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6555Y
- Reported as
- Cessna 210N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 210-64436
- Airframe hours
- 2,730
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-L, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John B. Ebner
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 19, 1996 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- R69 · Rocksprings, TX
- Destination
- ERV · TX
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
- 38
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 350 total · 28 in this make and model · 350 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 28 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 20 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F
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 N6555Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.