- Date
- August 22, 1991, 16:39 local (20:39 UTC)
- Place
- Clearfield, PA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N732YBCessna T-210-M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910822036209A
- Case key
- 36999
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
Vapor lock of the fuel system resulting in fuel starvation. A factor related to the accident was the failure of the owner to comply with a service letter calling for insulated fuel lines forward of the fire wall.
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 said the engine began to lose power at 300 feet above the ground after takeoff. He made a forced landing on a highway and struck a guard rail. The FAA was able to run the engine. An inspection of the fuel line revealed air bubbles. A Cessna service letter had not been compiled with that recommended modifications of the fuel system to prevent vapor lock problems. The pilot was not familiar with fuel system vapor lock.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N732YB
- Reported as
- Cessna T-210-M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21061871
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-R, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Kephart Trucking Co
- Registered owner
- Kephart Trucking Co
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Destination
- BVI · Beaver Falls, PA
- Airport
- N97 · Clearfield/Lawrence, runway 3, 4,500 × 75 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
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 800 total · 100 in this make and model · 760 as pilot in command · 63 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.