- Date
- February 8, 1989, 17:51 local (22:51 UTC)
- Place
- Melbourne, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N81859Cessna T210L
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890208027559A
- Case key
- 32313
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
Failure of the pilot to accurately determine fuel quantity prior to departure followed by his failure to operate the engine on the fullest fuel tank resulting in a fuel tank being run dry resulting in engine failure while on short final approach at his destination.
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 acft was being ferried to Melbourne by a contractor to the us marshals service. Before departure inspection and engine run-up revealed a 500-600 RPM magneto drop; the left tank was 3/4 full and the right tank had approx 15 gallons of fuel, according to gauges. The plt had work done that reduced the mag drop to 200-250 RPM. The plt reported that while on a 3-mile final to rwy 4 at Melbourne, the engine quit. He said he switched the selector to the other tank. The acft collided with trees and the ground during a forced landing. The fuel selector was found in the left tank position. No fuel system leaks were evident. Further examination revealed 3 oz of fuel in the rt tank; the left tank contained 25 gallons but appeared to be 3/4 full. The rt fuel gauge was accurate and the left read low when tested. The rt mag drop was 700 RPM drg a test-run. The rt mag impulse spring was broken, allowing internal timing to vary.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N81859
- Reported as
- Cessna T210L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21060301
- Airframe hours
- 1,639
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-H4A, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Operator
- Stambaugh'S Air Service
- Registered owner
- James R. Peeler
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 6, 1986
- Departed
- FPR · Fort Pierce, FL
- Destination
- MLB · Melbourne, FL
- Airport
- MLB · Melbourne Regional, runway 4, 3,002 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 55
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 15,000 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 12,000 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 800 ft broken
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MLB, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.