What happened
On April 1, 1985, a Cessna 210 bearing Mexican registration XBCKE was operating a flight from the Grand Canyon Airport in Arizona to Salt Lake City International Airport. The aircraft was piloted by a Mexican national. During the approach phase at Salt Lake City, the pilot experienced a complete loss of engine power. Unable to maintain altitude or reach the runway threshold, the pilot executed an emergency landing short of the runway.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the Cessna 210 revealed significant discrepancies in fuel quantity. The left tank contained only 3 1/2 quarts of fuel, while the right tank was approximately half full. No fuel was found in the engine fuel lines, indicating a total depletion of available fuel for combustion.
The pilot reported that he had estimated 60 gallons of fuel on board prior to takeoff from Grand Canyon but did not refuel to fill the aircraft completely. He stated that the fuel gauges on the aircraft were historically inaccurate and unreliable. After the power loss, the pilot attempted to restart the engine by manipulating the magnetos and boost pumps, as noted in his written account of events during the interval between recognizing the power failure and landing.
Findings
Investigation findings confirmed that the fuel selector switch was positioned on the right tank after the accident. However, the pilot did not specify when he last switched tanks or what position it held during the flight. Given the half-full state of the right tank and the near-empty left tank, combined with the pilot's admission of relying on inaccurate gauges rather than verifying fuel quantity visually or by dipstick, the primary factor was fuel exhaustion. No mechanical malfunctions or discrepancies were found in the aircraft systems other than the lack of fuel. The fuel that remained was checked for water or contaminants, and none were detected.
Safety message
Pilots must verify actual fuel quantities using reliable methods, such as dipsticks, rather than relying solely on potentially inaccurate fuel gauges, especially during long cross-country flights.