- Date
- October 10, 1996, 17:21 local (Oct 11, 1996, 00:21 UTC)
- Place
- Truckee, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9403XCessna 210A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report August 25, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19961010031529A
- Case key
- 29650
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
a total loss of engine power for undetermined nonmechanical reasons.
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
The pilot departed for a personal flight with 25 gallons of fuel in the tanks. After cruising for about 36 minutes at 9,500 feet mean sea level all engine power was lost. The pilot reported that he was not able to restore engine power. He declared an emergency and initiated a forced landing on a road. On short final approach, the airplane collided with wires and crashed. Examination of the airplane and engine assembly disclosed no reason for the loss of engine power. An external fuel tank was connected to the airplane and the engine was successfully test run.
Factual narrative
On October 10, 1996, at 1721 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 210A, N9403X, owned and operated by the pilot, experienced a total loss of engine power at 9,500 feet mean sea level. At the time, the pilot was cruising in the vicinity of the Squaw Valley VOR (navigational aid), near Truckee, California. The pilot declared an emergency and initiated a forced landing on a road. On short final approach, the airplane collided with wires and crashed. The airplane was substantially damaged. The private pilot received minor injuries and the passenger was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The personal flight originated from Cameron Park, California, at 1645.
The pilot indicated that when he took off the airplane had 25 gallons of fuel in its tanks. He reported that during the flight the "engine suddenly quit," and he was unable to restart it.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) coordinator examined the airplane and engine assembly and reported finding no reason for the loss of engine power. An external fuel tank was connected to the airplane, and the engine was successfully test run.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9403X
- Reported as
- Cessna 210A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21057703
- Airframe hours
- 2,378
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-D, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Brian J. Kuhn
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 13, 1996 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- O61 · Cameron Park, CA
- Destination
- TRK · Truckee, CA
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
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 648 total · 582 in this make and model · 648 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 55 °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.