Cessna T210 N732JW accident near Odessa, Texas

Probable cause

A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and the pilot’s mismanagement of the available fuel.

NTSB analysis

The pilot stated that he did not recall many details of the accident but reported that, about 10 minutes into the flight, the engine lost partial power. He checked the throttle, fuel, and cowl flap positions, and then performed a forced landing to a road, during which the airplane impacted a hole, nosed over, and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings.

After the accident, 2 cups of fuel were removed from the right wing and 25 gallons of fuel was removed from the left wing. The fuel tanks were not breached, there was no fuel staining on the ground in the vicinity of the wreckage, and there was no smell of fuel at the accident site. The fuel selector was found in the right tank position. Examination of the engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Given the minimal amount of fuel in the intact right tank at the accident site and the position of the fuel selector, it is likely that the engine was starved of fuel, which resulted in a loss of engine power.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA20LA028 for the full record.