On June 4, 2004, a Cessna T210L (registration N59027) was involved in an aviation accident near Wichita, KS. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to ensure adequate fuel supply for the flight, as evidenced by the lack of usable fuel in the tanks despite gauge indications. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
The pilot executed a forced landing after fuel gauges indicated low fuel, but post-accident inspection revealed no usable fuel remained in the tanks.
What happened
The aircraft impacted terrain during a forced landing. According to the pilot's statement, while on final approach for landing, the fuel gauges indicated approximately five gallons of fuel remaining in each fuel tank.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that there was no usable fuel in the airplane's fuel tanks.
Findings
The discrepancy between the fuel gauge readings and the actual fuel quantity suggests a potential issue with the fuel measurement system or pilot interpretation of the gauges. However, the primary factor leading to the incident was the depletion of usable fuel.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to ensure adequate fuel supply for the flight, as evidenced by the lack of usable fuel in the tanks despite gauge indications.