History of Flight
At 1212 Pacific daylight time on August 27, 2012, a Cessna P210N, Canadian registration C-GFCK, was involved in a forced landing on Highway US 395, one mile south of Alturas Municipal Airport, Alturas, California. The aircraft was operated under Part 91 by a private pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed.
The pilot initially approached runway 21 but, noticing winds favoring runway 03, executed a go-around. On the approach for runway 03, he decided he was too high for a safe landing and initiated another go-around. During the climb, the pilot reported the airplane's climb performance felt sluggish. After retracting flaps, between 600-800 feet above ground level, the engine stopped completely. The pilot did not activate the auxiliary fuel pump, switch fuel tanks, or adjust the mixture; the fuel selector was in the BOTH position. He conducted a forced landing on the highway. The right wing struck a road sign before the airplane came to rest on the roadside. First responders noted fuel leaking from the right wing.
Pilot Information
The 58-year-old private pilot held a certificate for airplane single-engine land and sea, issued July 13, 2011, and a third-class medical certificate issued October 27, 2010, with a requirement to wear corrective lenses. The pilot reported 600 total flight hours, with 40 hours in the accident aircraft model. His most recent flight review was completed on June 12, 2012.
Aircraft Information
The Cessna P210N is a six-seat, high-wing, single-engine aircraft with retractable landing gear, serial number P21000767, manufactured in 1981. It was powered by a Continental Motors TSIO-520-AF engine (serial number 245217-R, 310 hp) and equipped with a McCauley D2A34C402 constant-speed propeller. The airframe had 3,272.1 total hours. The last annual inspection was October 5, 2011. The engine had 1,119.4 hours since overhaul and 45.6 hours since the annual inspection.
Wreckage and Examination
An FAA inspector reported substantial damage to the right wing; the left horizontal stabilizer and elevator were damaged, the fuselage forward of the right horizontal stabilizer was buckled, the nose gear collapsed, and propeller blades were bent aft. The aircraft was transported to Progressive Air Services, Ltd, in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. Recovery drained 12 gallons from the right tip tank, 5 gallons from the left tip tank, 5 gallons from the left main tank; the right main tank was breached and empty.
An engine examination was conducted by airframe and powerplant mechanics under Transport Safety Board of Canada oversight. Mechanical continuity was confirmed, magneto timing was correct, thumb compression was achieved on all cylinders, and spark plugs showed normal wear without damage. Fuel injectors were clear of blockages. The gascolator bowl contained blue liquid, the screen was clean, with a small amount of dirt at the bottom. Induction and exhaust manifold attachments were tight, with no signs of blow-by. No evidence of leakage was found around the fuel selector, and the auxiliary fuel pump was operational.
Additional Information
The Cessna P210N Pilot's Operating Handbook and FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual, Section 7, advises that under hot day, high altitude conditions, or conditions conducive to fuel vapor formation during a climb, it may be necessary to use the auxiliary fuel pump to attain or stabilize fuel flow.