History of Flight
On May 7, 2020, at about 1513 central daylight time, a Cessna T210L airplane, registration N2074S, was destroyed when it crashed near Burleson, Texas. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The flight was operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
The airplane departed from runway 17R at Fort Worth Spinks Airport (FWS) in Fort Worth, Texas. Radio communications and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast data indicate the airplane was cleared for takeoff and lifted off around 1504. The pilot executed a right crosswind turn, proceeded to downwind, climbed to pattern altitude, and completed a full-stop landing about 1508. After taxiing back to runway 17R, the pilot was cleared for a second takeoff. Shortly after departure, the pilot radioed a declaration of emergency without specifying its nature. The controller inquired if the pilot was “going down on the highway there,” but received no reply.
A witness observed the airplane climb and reported hearing the engine sound suddenly diminish to a low idle or power-off state. The airplane flew level briefly, then descended slowly while banking slightly from side to side. The descent continued straight, with wings rocking, until the airplane reached about 10 to 20 ft above the tree line, at which point the rate of descent increased into the trees. The airplane struck tree-covered terrain and impacted the ground approximately half a mile south of runway 17R. A postcrash fire ensued.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Examination of the accident site showed the airplane impacted terrain on a heading of about 120°. The debris field comprised fewer than a dozen small metallic fragments within a 12-ft radius of the impact point. The left wingtip was found in a nearby tree about 81 ft above ground. The right wing exhibited minimal fire damage, and no fuel was present in the right fuel tank. The left wing and most of the cabin area were consumed by fire.
Further examination revealed the fuel selector valve appeared to be on the left tank but was not in the detent, positioned about 5° counterclockwise past the left tank position. The right wing's inboard dry bay portions were partially consumed by postimpact fire, while the rest of the wing showed no fire damage. The right fuel tank area was undamaged. The left wing was entirely consumed by fire from the root to the aileron.
Top spark plugs were removed and showed no abnormalities. Engine continuity and compression were confirmed by rotating the propeller, which remained attached to the engine. Spark was produced on all magneto leads. The engine-driven fuel pump's driveshaft was intact, but no fuel was found in the pump.
The q-tip propeller assembly consisted of three blades: one straight with only the tip curled aft, one twisted 90°, and one relatively undamaged but with scratches and scuff marks on the cambered surface.
According to the fueling company at FWS, there was no evidence that the pilot purchased fuel on the accident day. The last documented fueling was on April 30, 2020, about 1453 in Granbury, Texas, where 36.5 gallons were purchased. The pilot made four subsequent flights totaling about 1 hour 13 minutes before the accident.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Office of Chief Medical Examiner, Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s District, Fort Worth, Texas, performed an autopsy on the pilot and listed the cause of death as “thermal injuries and smoke inhalation.” Toxicological screening by the Federal Aviation Administration’s Forensic Sciences Laboratory revealed an 11% carboxyhemoglobin saturation in blood (heart); quinine and amlodipine were detected in urine and blood (femoral).