# NTSB SEA05LA011: Cessna T210H, N2240R, Missoula, MT, October 23, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 23, 2004, 11:05 local (17:05 UTC) - Place: Missoula, MT - Coordinates: 46.900833, -114.06472 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.9008&lon=-114.0647&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 28, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 60417 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA05LA011 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60417/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA05LA011 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to follow published procedures/directives (inducing excessive fuel flow to the engine), and the subsequent loss of engine power for nonmechanical reasons while on final approach. Contributing factors were the utility pole and the ditch. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - procedures/directives - not followed, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - excessive flow/output (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - utility pole (contributing factor) - terrain condition - ditch (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot said that he was on final, and he had been cleared to land. He said that he put the low auxiliary fuel pump on, to move the fuel selector to the fullest tank, and then he turned it off. He then noticed that he was below the glide path, and he advanced the throttle for more power. The power did not increase. He attempted an engine restart to no avail. The pilot said that he was "very close to the ground," so he abandoned the restart attempt and performed a forced landing. During the landing roll, the airplane traversed a drainage ditch and struck a transmission pole with its left wing. The nose wheel landing gear and right main landing gear were separated from the aircraft. The outer three feet of the left wing was crushed aft and the entire left wing was bent aft at the wing root. The fuselage was wrinkled and twisted. The owner of the airplane stated that the airplane had been topped-off with fuel approximately 1.0 hour, of engine operation, before the accident. On October 29, 2004, under the auspices of a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, the engine was test run; it started and ran "without a problem." The airplane manufacturer's Pilot's Operating Handbook does not recommend turning on the auxiliary fuel pump for normal fuel selector tank changes. The airplane manufacturer's Pilot Safety and Warning Supplements manual states: "The auxiliary fuel pump should not be operated during takeoff and landing, since gravity and the engine driven fuel pump will supply adequate fuel flow to the fuel injector unit." And, "Each time the auxiliary fuel pump switch is turned on or off, the mixture should be readjusted." ## Factual narrative On October 23, 2004, at 1105 mountain daylight time, a Cessna T210H, N2240R, was substantially damaged during a forced landing attempt following a loss of engine power near Missoula, Montana. The commercial pilot and his passenger were not injured. The airplane was being operated under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country personal flight that originated from Philipsburg, Montana, 21 minutes before the accident. A flight plan had not been filed. The pilot said that he was flying to Missoula International Airport, Missoula, Montana, for some avionics maintenance. He was on final for runway 29, and he had been cleared to land. The pilot said that he put the "low" auxiliary fuel pump on, to move the fuel selector to the fullest tank, and then he turned it off. He then noticed that he was below the glide path, and he advanced the throttle for more power. The power did not increase. He attempted an engine restart to no avail. The pilot said that he was "very close to the ground," so he abandoned the restart attempt and performed a forced landing. During the landing roll, the airplane traversed a drainage ditch and struck a transmission pole with its left wing. The nose wheel landing gear and right main landing gear were separated from the aircraft. The outer three feet of the left wing was crushed aft and the entire left wing was bent aft at the wing root. The fuselage was wrinkled and twisted. The owner of the airplane stated that the airplane had been topped-off with fuel approximately 1.0 hour, of engine operation, before the accident. On October 29, 2004, under the auspices of a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, the engine was test run; it started and ran "without a problem." The airplane manufacturer's Pilot's Operating Handbook gave the following guidance for DESCENT and BEFORE LANDING checklist procedures: DESCENT [checklist] 1. Power-- AS DESIRED. 2. Mixture-- ADJUST for smooth operation (full rich for idle power). BEFORE LANDING [checklist] 1. Fuel Selector-- FULLER TANK. 2. Landing Gear-- EXTEND 3. Landing Gear-- CHECK 4. Mixture-- Rich etc. The airplane manufacturer's Pilot Safety and Warning Supplements manual states: "The auxiliary fuel pump should not be operated during takeoff and landing, since gravity and the engine driven fuel pump will supply adequate fuel flow to the fuel injector unit." "Each time the auxiliary fuel pump switch is turned on or off, the mixture should be readjusted." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2240R](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2240R-2007-10-22), registration cancelled 2007-10-22, S/N T210-0390, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna T210H - Registry model: [Cessna T210H](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t210h) (registry code 2073438) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: T210-0390 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520-H 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Frank A. Neitz - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: U05, Philipsburg, MT - Destination: MSO, Missoula, MT ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 19, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 2,000 total, 80 in this make and model, 1,700 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 45 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 29.73 inHg - Observed at: MSO, 2 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20041023027619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041023027619A), Oct 23, 2004: Cessna T210H, Missoula, MT, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot stated that he was cleared to land. He then put fuel pump on low boost, switched tanks, lowered gear, added first notch of flaps, and then noticed… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.