# NTSB WPR22LA126: Cessna T210L, N94001, Lancaster, CA, March 14, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: March 14, 2022, 12:58 local (19:58 UTC)
- Place: Lancaster, CA · Airport
- Coordinates: 34.741056, -118.21863 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7411&lon=-118.2186&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191)
- 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
- NTSB case key (mKey): 104814
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR22LA126
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104814/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104814
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA126

## Probable cause

A total loss of engine power due to the pilot’s inadequate fuel management which resulted in fuel starvation and subsequent collision with a fence during landing.

## Findings

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

- [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna T210L, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2073449), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance: fence/fence post](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipment; cases with it: [Cessna T210L, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md?model=2073449), [All aircraft, 313 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna T210L, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=2073449), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Approach: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna T210L, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=2073449), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md)
- [Approach: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Cessna T210L, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2073449), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna T210L, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2073449), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot in the retractable landing gear-equipped airplane reported that about 700 ft agl, he initiated a descending right turn for landing. The pilot attempted to lower the landing gear however, the landing gear would not extend even after troubleshooting the problem. The pilot recalled that the mixture was rich, the propeller was set to maximum rpm, and full throttle was applied when he aborted the landing, but there was no corresponding response from the engine. The propeller began to windmill, and he attempted to troubleshoot the total loss of engine power by moving the fuel selector from the right tank position to the left tank position and engaged the starter to no avail. During the forced landing, the empennage struck a barbed wire fence short of the runway, and the airplane came to a stop upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The post-accident examination revealed that the right-wing fuel tank was empty, and the left-wing fuel tank contained seven gallons of fuel.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N94001](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N94001-2022-05-24), registration cancelled 2022-05-24, S/N 21060478, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA T210L
- Registry model: [Cessna T210L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t210l) (registry code 2073449) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 21060478
- Year built: 1974
- Airframe hours: 6194
- Engines: Continental TSIO-520H 285 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, April 20, 2021
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: KWJF, General William J Fox Airfield, runway 06, 7,201 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 75; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 2, 2020; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 14,750 total, 1,305 in this make and model, 10,000 as pilot in command, 13 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours
- Pilot-rated passenger; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport, flight engineer; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 20,000 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observed at: KWJF
- METAR: METAR KWJF 141956Z 13005KT 10SM CLR 21/M05 A3026 RMK AO2 SLP240 T02061050=

## 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 20220314003499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220314003499A), Mar 14, 2022: Cessna T210L, Lancaster, CA, Substantial damage. On 3/14/2022 afternoon aircraft departed psp with landing gears extended for kwjf to get nose landing gear checked at [privacy data omitted]. Pilot [privacy…

## Other investigations on N94001 (1)

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.

- [NTSB SEA78DYK02](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA78DYK02), Nov 23, 1977: Cessna T210 (N94001), Redmond, OR, substantial damage

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 28, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104814. 3.7 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13647955&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_1_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 43 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13573318&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=No%20Mechanical%20Failure%20or%20Anomaly_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Post-accident examination fuel quantity (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 575 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13665112&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Post-Accident%20Examination%20N94001%20Fuel%20Quantity_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Emergency procedure -engine failure during flight (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 180 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13648562&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Emergency%20Procedure%20-Engine%20Failure%20During%20Flight-Rel.pdf
- Photographs (item 5, PDF, 4 pages, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13631417&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photographs-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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