- Date
- May 25, 2009, 16:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Seattle, WA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N210AKCessna 210
- Defining event
- Enroute-descent: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090525008539A
- Case key
- 73900
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 due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's failure to activate the fuel boost pump when attempting an engine restart. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to use a checklist.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
During the descent for landing, the airplane's engine lost all power so the pilot switched to the other fuel tank, which contained 15 gallons, and then attempted a restart. When the restart was unsuccessful, the pilot executed a forced landing in a city park. During the landing flare, the airplane's right wing impacted a tall sign post, but the touchdown and roll out were successful. A Federal Avaiation Administration inspector examined the airplane on scene and found that the right tank was empty and the left tank contained 15 gallons. The pilot told the inspector that he failed to use a checklist during the restart attempt and, as a result, forgot to activate the required fuel boost pump after switching tanks. After the airplane was recovered and fuel was placed in the left tank, the engine was successfully run with the fuel selector on the left tank.
Factual narrative
During the descent for landing, the airplane's engine lost all power so the pilot switched to the other fuel tank, which contained 15 gallons, and then attempted a restart. When the restart was unsuccessful, the pilot executed a forced landing in a city park. During the landing flare, the airplane's right wing impacted a tall sign post, but the touchdown and roll out were successful. A Federal Avaiation Administration inspector examined the airplane on scene and found that the right tank was empty and the left tank contained 15 gallons. The pilot told the inspector that he failed to use a checklist during the restart attempt and, as a result, forgot to activate the required fuel boost pump after switching tanks. After the airplane was recovered and fuel was placed in the left tank, the engine was successfully run with the fuel selector on the left tank.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N210AK
- Reported as
- Cessna 210
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21061627
- Airframe hours
- 5,084
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-R9, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Nicholson Mfg Co
- Registered owner
- Nicholson Mfg Co
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 30, 2009
- Departed
- KOMK · Omak, WA
- Destination
- Seattle, WA
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 30
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 22, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,250 total · 81 in this make and model · 1,935 as pilot in command · 177 in the last 90 days · 55 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 7, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,031 total · 808 in this make and model · 906 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 10, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 889 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.