Accident Summary
On March 31, 2012, about 1810 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 210-5 (205), registration N224AL, operated by Chalet Suzanne Aviation Inc., was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a field. The forced landing followed a total loss of engine power during climb from Chalet Suzanne Air Strip (X25) in Lake Wales, Florida. The certificated commercial pilot and six passengers were not injured. The commercial skydive flight was conducted under Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the planned local flight.
Maintenance and Preflight
Earlier on the day of the accident, maintenance was performed on the airplane at Bartow Municipal Airport (BOW) in Bartow, Florida. Specifically, a gascolator seal and starter motor were replaced. During that maintenance, the airplane's left main fuel tank was used for three engine run-ups. The pilot flew the airplane uneventfully from BOW to X25 with the fuel selector positioned to the left main fuel tank. After shutting down the engine at X25, the pilot checked the right main fuel tank with a stick, finding 2.5 inches of fuel, equating to 9 or 10 gallons. The pilot stated that he did not check the fuel quantity in the left main fuel tank, noting that he usually flew with the fuel selector positioned to the right main fuel tank and typically kept 9 or 10 gallons in the left main fuel tank as reserve.
Engine Failure and Forced Landing
The pilot did not reposition the fuel selector to the right main fuel tank prior to the accident flight. During the climb from runway 18, at about 800 feet mean sea level, the pilot observed that the cylinder head temperature for all cylinders was indicating red and the engine lost rpm. He activated the fuel boost pump and initiated a turn back toward the airport. The mixture lever and throttle lever were already full-forward, so the pilot did not move them. During the turn, he moved the fuel selector from the left main fuel tank position to the right main fuel tank position, but the engine did not respond. The rpm indicated below idle, with the exception of a momentary jump to 1,500 rpm, then back to idle. Subsequently, the pilot performed a forced landing to a field.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination by an FAA inspector revealed that during the landing, the right main landing gear and nosegear dug into soft ground, causing them to collapse. The airplane came to rest on its right side, resulting in damage to the fuselage, propeller, right wing, and right horizontal stabilizer. Fuel leaking from the right wing was observed. The left main fuel tank was intact, and no fuel was observed in it. An engine data monitor recovered from the cockpit was sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for data download. Review of the data indicated that at 1805, the engine fuel flow decreased to 0.0 gallons per hour, followed by a brief rise and then decrease of exhaust gas temperature and a decrease in cylinder head temperature. An independent mechanic examined the maintenance work performed on the gascolator and did not observe any discrepancies or fuel leaks.