MIA98LA083

The pilot experienced a total loss of engine power and made a forced landing in a grassy field. During touch down, the nose wheel sheared off, the nose strut dug into soft terrain, and the airplane nosed-over. FAA investigators found empty fuel tanks and no evidence of fuel spillage. The pilot stated, in part, 'I do believe it was fuel exhaustion...'

On February 23, 1998, about 1230 eastern standard time, a Cessna T-210N, N1734U, registered to Stegnor Electric Controls, Inc., operating as a 14 CFR 91 personal flight, experienced a loss of engine power while on approach to Covington Municipal Airport, Georgia. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight plan was filed. The instrument rated private pilot made a forced landing to a marshy grass field short of the airport. The airplane received substantial damage, and the pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, Florida, about 3 hours before the accident.

Covington Municipal was a diversion from the original destination of Marietta's Cobb County- McCollum Field, Georgia. The pilot stated that he encountered different en route winds than forecast, and became concerned about his fuel consumption. The pilot requested and was cleared by Atlanta ARTCC to the Covington airport, and had been handed off to Atlanta Approach Control who was radar monitoring his self-contained GPS approach when he declared he had run out of fuel. He touched down about 2 miles short of the runway that sheared the nose wheel, the nose strut dug into soft terrain, and the airplane nosed-over. Inspection of the wreckage by FAA investigators revealed empty fuel tanks, and no evidence of any fuel spillage at the crash site. The airplane was transported to Allen Aero Service, Inc., Jackson County Airport, Jefferson, Georgia, on February 24, 1998, where the engine was started. The engine run was satisfactory, limited only by the amount of power used due to the bent propeller.

The pilot stated that at his origination FBO, Air Combs of Fort Lauderdale, he had ordered N1734U to be fueled "to the bottom of the intake tube" rather than full tanks. He further stated, "I do believe it was fuel exhaustion, I thought I had enough fuel during the planning stage, but that was not the case."