On March 21, 1997, a Cessna T210L (registration N613CW) was involved in an aviation accident near Durango, CO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The engine failure was caused by fuel exhaustion, as the required fuel for the planned flight exceeded the amount on board. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot was forced to land in a sagebrush field after the engine quit while nearing his destination during a trip involving four stops.
What happened
The pilot departed on a 223 NM flight with 48 gallons of fuel on board. The planned itinerary included four full stops. According to the pilot, he believed there was sufficient fuel to complete the mission and noted that he used a company-approved calibrated measuring device to check fuel levels at every stop. As the aircraft approached its destination, the engine stopped running, necessitating a forced landing in a rugged field of sagebrush.
The investigation
During the recovery process, personnel examined the aircraft and found no fuel remaining in the airplane. There was also no evidence of any fuel leakage or spillage on the ground at the crash site. A representative from the aircraft manufacturer performed a calculation for the specific trip parameters, determining that the flight, including the four full stops, required approximately 56 gallons of fuel to complete.
Probable cause
The engine failure was caused by fuel exhaustion, as the required fuel for the planned flight exceeded the amount on board.