On October 21, 2002, a Cessna 210C (registration N9788X) was involved in an aviation accident near Riverside, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's failure to position the fuel selector to the tank containing fuel resulting in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During an instrument approach, the engine quit. The pilot attempted a forced landing in hilly terrain with poor visibility. The aircraft had departed with full fuel and had been airborne for about 3 hours 17 minutes.
Engine Failure During Instrument Approach
During an instrument approach, the engine quit. The pilot subsequently attempted a forced landing in hilly terrain and poor visibility.
Fuel Examination
According to flight planning information recovered from inside the airplane, it had departed with full fuel (63.5 usable gallons). The airplane had been airborne for about 3 hours and 17 minutes at the time of the accident. Prior to disassembly of the airplane for recovery, the recovery agent drained the fuel tanks. The left tank contained about 13 gallons of blue liquid with the odor of aviation gasoline, while the right tank was empty.
Engine Test
The manufacturer ran the engine in a test cell. It performed normally without any hesitation or interruptions in power from idle to full throttle.
What happened in the 21 Oct 2002 Cessna 210C accident near Riverside, CA?
During an instrument approach, the engine quit. The pilot attempted a forced landing in hilly terrain with poor visibility. The aircraft had departed with full fuel and had been airborne for about 3 hours 17 minutes.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 21 Oct 2002 involved a Cessna 210C, registration N9788X, at Riverside, CA.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
the pilot's failure to position the fuel selector to the tank containing fuel resulting in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
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