Primary finding
Probable cause
the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the fuel tanks resulting in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot stated he did not visually check the fuel tanks during his preflight inspection. He determined the fuel quantity from the fuel gauges. After takeoff he made a touch-and-go, and was on base leg for a full stop when the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. A forced landing was made to a residential area. The airplane collided with trees, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The fuel tanks were not ruptured, and no fuel was present.
Source record
Factual narrative
On July 31, 1996, about 1236 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 210L, N397MS, registered to Mini System Inc., operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 maintenance flight, experienced a total loss of engine power on approach for landing at the Sarasota-Bradenton Airport, Sarasota, Florida, and crashed in a residential area. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot reported serious injuries. The flight originated from the Sarasota-Bradenton Airport about 6 minutes before the accident. The pilot stated he did not visually check the fuel tanks during the preflight inspection. He looked at the fuel gauges to determine the fuel quantity. He took off from runway 14 with the fuel selector valve on the left fuel tank, completed a touch-and-go landing, and remained in left closed traffic for a full stop landing. The before landing check was completed on downwind, he turned left base for runway 14, descended to 900 feet, and reduced his airspeed to 90 knots. He was watching another airplane in the traffic pattern, when the engine quit. He informed Sarasota Tower that he had a problem, looked for a forced landing area, switched fuel tanks, turned the boost pump on, and attempted an engine restart with negative results. He reduced airspeed to 60 knots, and selected a front yard in a residential area as the forced landing area. The right wing collided with a tree, and he observed additional trees to his immediate front. He intentionally stalled the airplane, the nose pitched down, the nose wheel collided with the ground, and the airplane nosed over inverted. Visual examination of the airplane by the FAA revealed the fuel tanks were not ruptured and no fuel was found in the left or right fuel tank. The fuel selector valve was in the right fuel tank position. The fuel sediment bowl was removed and a container was placed under the strainer. The fuel selector was placed in the left position and no fuel was present. The fuel selector was placed in the right position and about 2 quarts of fuel was collected. The left and right fuel drains were checked and about 2 ounces of fuel was drawn from each drain. Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of binding, internal damage, and compression was present on all cylinders. -