PLT OF AN AIR TAXI CARGO C210 DECLARED AN EMER AND MADE A FORCED LNDG IN A FIELD AFTER THE ENG QUIT ENRTE DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.

Date: 2000-02 · Aircraft: Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C; 210D · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|other-engine-quit

Synopsis

PLT OF AN AIR TAXI CARGO C210 DECLARED AN EMER AND MADE A FORCED LNDG IN A FIELD AFTER THE ENG QUIT ENRTE DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative

I WAS FLYING FROM BFM DIRECT ALB DIRECT VLD. BEFORE DEPARTING BFM; I DID A NORMAL WALKAROUND AND CHKED THE FUEL. I HAD 3/4 TANKS REGISTERING ON THE INDICATOR AND ON THE DIPSTICK THAT I CARRY WITH ME TO CHK THE TANKS IN THE C210 BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE CESSNA FUEL GAUGES CAN'T BE TRUSTED. IT NORMALLY WOULD; OR SHOULD; TAKE AROUND 33 GALLONS OF FUEL TO GET TO VLD. HOWEVER; ABOUT 1/2 WAY BTWN ABY AND VLD; THE ENG BEGAN TO SPUTTER AS THEY SOMETIMES DO BECAUSE OF VAPOR LOCK. SO I SWITCHED THE FUEL TANKS BY PUTTING ON THE FUEL PUMP FIRST WHERE IT TRIED TO RUN; BUT CONTINUED TO SPUTTER. MEANWHILE I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AND WORKING WITH APCH. IMMEDIATELY I INFORMED THEM I WAS HAVING PROBS AND THEY ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER AND I TOLD THEM TO NOT YET (THIS WAS BEFORE SWITCHING TANKS). MY ALT WAS 3000 FT AND AFTER REALIZING IT WASN'T GOING TO START; I TOLD APCH THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO SET IT DOWN IN ONE OF THESE FIELDS AND I WAS NOT SURE IF THEY COULD HEAR ME; AND I TOLD THEM TO CANCEL IFR; BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. MEANWHILE I WAS SETTING UP FOR AN EMER LNDG IN A FARM FIELD WHERE I LANDED THE PLANE WITH NO DAMAGE AT ALL TO IT OR THE PROPERTY. I CALLED ABY TWR RIGHT AWAY SO THEY WOULDN'T SEND OUT A SEARCH PARTY. THE COMPANY I WORK FOR IS A PART 135. THEY HAD ME TAKE A DRUG TEST AND ALCOHOL TEST; WHICH WAS NEGATIVE. MEANWHILE THE COMPANY AND/OR OWNER OF THE PLANE INSPECTED IT AND FLEW IT OUT OF THE FIELD. THEY SAID IT WAS OUT OF FUEL AND IT WAS MY FAULT. HOWEVER; LIKE I SAID; THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PLENTY AND I THINK IT WAS LEAKING FROM THE STRAINER.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.