FTW97LA071

While en route, the pilot learned of deteriorating weather at the destination (Greeley, CO) and diverted to Peyton, CO. After arriving at the new destination, the pilot circled the airport twice as he tried to activate the runway lights. He tried to activate the lights by keying the microphone with the radio set at 123.0 mHz. He then contacted the Colorado Springs control tower to confirm that he was using the proper frequency. Tower personnel assured him that 123.0 mHz was the correct frequency. However, the frequency had been changed to 122.7 mHz two months previously, and the change had been published in the Airport Facility Directory. As the pilot circled the airport a third time, the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to land on a road, but the airplane was substantially damaged when it struck a power line and roadside sign post. Salvage personnel drained 6 and 5 gallons of usable fuel from the left and right fuel tanks, respectively. Cessna's Pilot Safety and Warning Supplements cautioned pilots to avoid prolonged uncoordinated turns or slips, when the fuel level was less than 1/4 tank, so as not to inadvertently uncover fuel tank outlets.

On December 22, 1996, at 2201 mountain standard time, a Cessna 210A, N6680X, was substantially damaged when it collided with objects during a forced landing at Peyton, Colorado. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Ponca City, Oklahoma, on December 22, 1992, approximately 1950 central standard time.

According to the pilot, his original destination was Greeley, Colorado, but after learning of deteriorating weather conditions in the Greeley area from the Kansas City Flight Flight Service Station, he elected to divert to Meadow Lake Airport, Peyton, Colorado. The pilot said that when he arrived at the airport, he circled to the left twice and tried to activate the runway lights by keying his microphone with the radio set to 123.0 mHz. Despite repeated attempts, the runway lights failed to illuminate. He contacted Colorado Springs control tower, and they confirmed that 123.0 mHz was the correct frequency. As the pilot circled to the left a third time, the engine lost power and he was forced to make a landing on a nearby road. The airplane struck a power line that sheared off the nose wheel, then touched down and struck a sign post. The airplane went off the side of the road and collided with a ditch.

The frequency for activating the airport's runway lights was changed to 122.7 mHz on September 16, 1996, and the change was published in the Airport Facility Directory on December 5, 1996. The runway lights were later functionally tested by the airport operator and they operated correctly.

Salvage personnel who recovered the airplane measured the fuel remaining in each wing tank. They reported draining 6 gallons from the left tank and 5 gallons from the right tank. The fuel selector was found positioned on the left tank.

A Cessna Aircraft Company accident investigator said the Cessna 210A has 1.5 gallons of unusable fuel in each tank. The 11 gallons of fuel drained by the salvage company was usable fuel. According to Cessna's Pilot Safety and Warning Supplements, "The shape of most airplane wing fuel tanks is such that in certain flight maneuvers the fuel may move away from the fuel tank supply outlet. If the outlet is uncovered, fuel flow to the engine may be interrupted and a temporary loss of power might result. Pilots can prevent inadvertent uncovering of the tank outlet by having adequate fuel (at least 1/4 full) in the tank selected and avoiding maneuvers such as prolonged uncoordinated flight or sideslips which move fuel away from the feed lines (emphasis added). . .Unusable fuel quantity increases with the severity of the sideslip in all cases."