Incident Overview
On April 15, 2018, at 1048 mountain daylight time, a Cessna T210N airplane, registration N6988N, experienced a loss of engine power while approaching the City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The pilot performed a forced landing in a residential area approximately 3 miles north of the airport. During the landing, the airplane struck an embankment, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot and one passenger were not injured, while another passenger sustained a serious injury. The aircraft was registered to CAG International, Inc., and operated by Elite Aviation of Longmont, Colorado, under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules flight plan had been filed. The flight departed from Vance Brand Airport (LMO) in Longmont, Colorado, around 1000, and was destined for COS.
Pilot Account
According to the pilot's accident report, the airplane was at 9,500 feet mean sea level and being vectored for landing at COS when the engine lost power. The pilot switched from the left fuel tank to the right tank and activated the auxiliary boost pump. Engine power was temporarily restored. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost power again. The fuel flow gauge indicated zero, and the fuel pressure gauge reading was intermittent. The pilot extended full flaps, and the airplane ballooned over an embankment, landed hard, bounced over a median, and struck a guardrail.
Post-Accident Examination
Post-accident inspection revealed no fuel in the left tank. An estimated 20 to 25 gallons of fuel was drained from the right tank, with no contamination observed. The airplane was examined on April 24 at Beegles Aircraft Service in Greeley, Colorado, with representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration and Continental Motors present. The top spark plugs were dark in color but oil-free. Manual rotation of the engine produced thumb compression on each cylinder, with no binding noted. Crankshaft and camshaft continuity was confirmed. Spark was observed at all top ignition leads during manual rotation. The fuel hose between the engine-driven fuel pump and the engine fuel manifold contained no fuel. Fuel was present in the hose leading to the fuel flow indicator on the instrument panel. The airframe fuel strainer was full of fuel, and the screen was clear of contamination. The turbo compressor wheel was undamaged and rotated smoothly.
Engine Examination
The engine was shipped to Continental Motors in Mobile, Alabama, and examined on June 20 and 21. Upon removal of the turbocharger, evidence of hot gas seepage was noted on the manifold. A crack had developed and propagated nearly completely around the base of the flange. A replacement manifold was installed, and on June 22 the engine underwent functional testing in a test cell. No anomalies were detected during the test.