# NTSB WPR20CA158: Cessna P210, N5404W, Heber City, UT, May 31, 2020

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report
- Date: May 31, 2020, 13:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place: Heber City, UT
- Coordinates: 40.488887, -111.419441
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4889&lon=-111.4194&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA-FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 101350
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR20CA158
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101350/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101350
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20CA158

## Probable cause

The pilots failure to switch the fuel pump to the 'OFF' position during landing, resulting in a loss of engine power and subsequent collision with a fence during landing. Contributing to the accident was a modified before landing checklist which omitted the fuel pump switch position.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Action: incorrect action selection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna P210N, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010/cases.md?model=2073454), [All aircraft, 397 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010/cases.md)
- [Engine fuel and control: fuel pump](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057314): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Unnecessary use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna P210N, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057314/cases.md?model=2073454), [All aircraft, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057314/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: use of checklist](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna P210N, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030/cases.md?model=2073454), [All aircraft, 336 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna P210N, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2073454), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna P210N, 31 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2073454), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that after completing the descent/approach checklist, he turned on the auxiliary fuel pump and switched from the left fuel tank to the right fuel tank. While on final approach, the pilot reported that he neglected to turn off the auxiliary fuel pump. When he made a slight power reduction, the engine flooded and lost power. The airplane subsequently touched down in the grass short of and to the right of the runway. During the landing roll, the right wing collided with a fence pole. The right wing was substantially damaged. The manufacturer's before landing checklist requires the auxiliary fuel pump in the 'OFF' position during landing. A caution follows: "Failure to turn the auxiliary fuel pump off may result in a complete power loss at reduced throttle settings due to an excessively rich mixture." The pilot reported that he had modified the before landing checklist which omitted the fuel pump switch position.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5404W](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5404W), registered now, S/N P21000683, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna P210 (N)
- Registry model: [Cessna P210N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-p210n) (registry code 2073454) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: P21000683
- Year built: 1981
- Airframe hours: 2384
- Engines: Continental TSIO-520 reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, May 23, 2019
- Departed: MYF, San Diego, CA
- Destination: EVW, Evanston, WY
- Airport: HCR, Heber City Municipal, runway 22, 6,898 × 75 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment: Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 64; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport, commercial, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 24,000 total, 60 in this make and model, 23,000 as pilot in command, 79.3 in the last 90 days, 9.5 in the last 30 days, 3.2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 230° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observed at: HCR

## 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 20200531007279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200531007279A), May 31, 2020: Cessna P210N, Heber, UT, Substantial damage. On may 30, 2020, the pilot was flying at 17,500 MSL enroute from montgomery field (kmyf) to evanston Wyoming (kevw) when he diverted to Heber Utah (khcr) due…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101350. 6.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 5.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10065942&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20ICO%20N5404W-revised_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Email-pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 8 pages, 135 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10066646&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Email%20Pilot%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot's operating handbook-excerpt (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 243 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10066827&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Operating%20Handbook-Before%20Landing%20Checklist-Rel.pdf
- Photo array (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 136 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10066836&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf

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.

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