Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kelseyville, California 95451
Saturday, February 3, 2001 6:50 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that, during his preflight inspection of the aircraft, he noted the fuel gauges indicated about 25 gallons total fuel in the tanks, and, while looking in each of the two tanks and rocking the aircraft, he could hear sloshing and saw an irregular reflection. After takeoff, while climbing out at 120 - 130 knots and climbing 500 feet per minute, the airplane was near 4,000 feet msl when he felt the controls of the airplane get heavy. He had a headset on and couldn't hear the engine well. When he checked the instruments he saw that the engine tachometer was down to 1,200 rpm and the airspeed was slowing to below 100 knots. There was no roughness, no loud noise, and no sputtering from the engine. The engine continued to windmill. The airplane was on the right-hand fuel tank and he switched to the left tank. The throttle, propeller, and mixture controls were in the full forward position. He believed that he only turned on the low fuel boost pump switch position because he focused his attention outside the airplane on selecting a site and landing. The aircraft recovery company reported that, when they recovered the airplane, there was no fuel in the right tank and about 8 gallons fuel in the left tank (0.5 gallons of fuel in each tank is unusable). A postaccident examination of the aircraft did not reveal any mechanical abnormality. According to the Cessna Aircraft Company Pilot Operating Handbook for the model T210M (Emergency Procedures, Engine Failure During Flight), following loss of engine power, the pilot should; 1) switch to the fuller fuel tank, 2) place the mixture control in the full rich position, 3) turn the auxiliary fuel pump on for 3 - 5 seconds with the throttle 1/2 open, and 4) slowly advance the throttle. A Cessna Aircraft spokesman said that, if the throttle and mixture were full forward (full throttle and rich mixture) and the boost pump remained on while the engine was rotating at only 1,200 rpm, a flooded fuel condition was likely created in the engine which prevented restart.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the pilot to comply with emergency procedures contained in the Pilot's Operating Handbook, which resulted in an excessively rich mixture and loss of engine power.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/3/2001
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 650
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Kelseyville
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95451
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 656 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 325
Weather Observation Facility ID UKI
Elevation of weather observation facility 614
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.38
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10941
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Feb 3 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 758
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Nov 6 2001 9:00AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Sacramento, California

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N761SE
NTSB Number LAX01LA085
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model T210M
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 21062474
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 10 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 1407
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name William T. Conklin
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Healdsburg
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95448
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code O31
Departure City Healdsburg
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 640
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code WLW
Destination City Willows
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Climb - to cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 22 2001 11:45AM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --