IAD98LA051

The airplane departed on a cross-country flight with an undetermined amount of fuel and flew approximately 4 hours and 15 minutes before it experienced a loss of engine power. The airplane crashed in a wooded area approximately 2 miles from the destination airport during the subsequent forced landing. According to a State Police Officer the passenger stated they '...ran out of fuel and crashed.' Examination of the aircraft wreckage revealed that both wing tanks contained no fuel, and the fuel line to the flow divider contained only about a spoonful of fuel. The engine ran to rated power in a test cell after the accident. During the test, the engine driven fuel pump exhibited high pressure and flow rates at full power.

On May 6, 1998, at 1615 eastern daylight time, a Cessna P210N, N4543K, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near the Chesterfield County Airport (FCI), Chesterfield, Virginia. The certificated private pilot and passenger were seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated at Bartow, Florida (BOW), approximately 1200, destined for FCI. No flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

The airplane departed Sarasota, Florida, at 1018, for a 53 mile flight to BOW with an undetermined amount of fuel. According to a fuel receipt dated April 25, 1998, the airplane's last service prior to that flight was for 27.4 gallons of fuel in the left tank only. After N4543K landed at BOW, it was serviced with 10.2 gallons of fuel, again in the left tank only. The lineman asked the pilot if he wanted fuel in the right tank and the pilot declined. The lineman stated he did not verify the fuel state in the right tank.

The airplane departed the Bartow Airport and flew approximately 4 hours and 15 minutes before it experienced a loss of engine power. The airplane crashed in a wooded area approximately 2 miles from the Chesterfield Airport during the subsequent forced landing.

A Trooper with the Virginia State Police responded to the accident and took a statement from the passenger. According to the Trooper's report:

"[The passenger] stated they ran out of fuel and crashed."

A Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Inspector examined the aircraft wreckage. In a written statement, the Inspector said:

"I checked the fuel tanks, there was no fuel in either tank. I checked the fuel line to the flow divider with only about a spoonful came out...The prop shown sign of no power at the time of impact."

The engine was examined and a test run was performed at the Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) engine factory, Mobile, Alabama, on September 23, 1998. The engine ran to rated power. All components of the fuel system were flow tested to TCM specifications with one exception. At full power, the engine driven fuel pump exhibited high flow and pressure readings. When questioned about the significance of the high flow rates, the TCM representative responded in writing. He said:

"The fuel pump exhibited high pressure during the engine run and flow testing and may have been maladjusted in the field during servicing of this engine. The pilot has control of the mixture and can adjust it in flight to totally control fuel flow to the engine. The higher than specification fuel flow could result in increased fuel consumption at full rich settings, as used on takeoff."

Examination of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that on February 18, 1998, during the airplane's most recent annual inspection, the maintenance personnel "...adjusted fuel flow and Prop RPM to specs."