On February 4, 1994, a Cessna T210L (registration N93159) operated by Robert O. Miller was involved in an aviation accident near Arcata, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: fuel starvation resulting from the pilot's improper in-flight planning and his failure to correctly monitor the aircraft's fuel system and to position the selector valve on a tank containing fuel. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A pilot and passenger executed a precautionary landing after engine roughness and power loss. The airplane collided with a wood pile. Examination revealed no fuel in the left tank, fuel selector on left, and fuel leaking from the right tank. No mechanical issues were found.
Accident Sequence
The pilot and passenger took off and climbed to 11,000 feet, proceeding toward their destination. After approximately 33 minutes of flight, the pilot reported to the radar controller that the engine was running rough. As the engine began losing power, the pilot initiated a precautionary landing. The pilot elected to land in a field, during which the airplane collided with a wood pile.
Examination
An examination of the airplane revealed no fuel in the left wing tank. However, fuel was observed leaking from the impact-damaged right wing. The fuel selector was found positioned to the left tank. No mechanical malfunctions were found during the examination of the airframe, and the engine was successfully test run.