Mcas Camp Pendleton Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oceanside, California 92054
Saturday, November 16, 2013 22:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 16, 2013, about 2230 Pacific standard time, a Cessna T-210F, N6186R, was substantially damaged during a forced landing at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Air Station (NFG) Oceanside, California. The owner/pilot and his two non-pilot rated passengers were uninjured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no FAA flight plan was filed for the flight. According to the pilot, the single engine turbocharged airplane was based at Hawthorne Municipal Airport (HHR) Hawthorne, California. On the morning of the accident, the pilot arrived at HHR about 0900. He reported that the airplane had about 18 gallons of fuel on board. The tanks had a total capacity of at least 65 gallons. The pilot and one passenger departed HHR for Van Nuys (VNY), California, to pick up another passenger. After that, they flew to Zamperini Field (TOA), Torrance, California, and the pilot variously reported that he purchased either $100 or $120 worth of fuel, which was determined by the NTSB to be approximately 15 to 20 gallons. In sequence, the pilot and passengers then flew to and landed at Catalina Island (AVX), Avalon, California, Montgomery Field (MYF), San Diego, California,and Gillespie Field (SEE), San Diego/El Cajon, California. No fuel was purchased at any of those locations. About 2210 on the same day, the pilot, two passengers, and two dogs departed SEE for HHR. The pilot reported that the fuel totalizer indicated that there was sufficient fuel for the flight to HHR, plus 30 to 40 minutes' reserve. About 15 minutes after takeoff, when the airplane was at an altitude of about 3,500 feet, the engine "sputtered," and the pilot determined that the right tank was empty. He switched to the left tank, which he believed to contain 18 gallons, based on the totalizer indication. The pilot turned the airplane towards the nearest airport, which was NFG. Shortly thereafter, the engine ceased developing power, and the pilot determined that the left tank was also near empty. He tried to raise NFG air traffic control tower personnel on the published frequency as well as on 121.5 MHz, but did not receive any response, even though the tower was operating at the time. He was unable to activate the NFG runway lights due to the fact that the activation frequency was a military frequency, which was incompatible with the accident airplane (civil) radios. When the airplane was descending through an altitude that the pilot estimated to be between 2,000 and 1,500 feet, the pilot saw lights that he first believed were the runway lights at NFG. However, as the airplane got closer, the pilot recognized that they were building lights. He eventually spotted the taxiway lights at NFG, and turned the airplane towards them. He was unable to reach the runway, and landed the airplane on a taxiway. The airplane was not aligned with the taxiway, and it crossed onto the grass, where it struck a berm which damaged the nosegear. None of the persons were injured, but one dog in the airplane was slightly injured because it was unrestrained. Post accident examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that the firewall and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The fuel tanks were undamaged, and a total of only about 2.5 gallons were recovered from them. According to the airplane manufacturer's published information, the unusable fuel quantity is 2.5 gallons per tank, for a total of 5 gallons. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot held a private pilot certificate with airplane single- and multi-engine land ratings. He reported that he had a total flight experience of approximately 1,400 hours, including about 400 hours in the accident airplane make and model. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The airplane was equipped with a fuel flow and totalizer unit that displayed fuel consumption rates, fuel used, and fuel remaining. The fuel remaining parameter was a derived value based upon a pilot input value of known fuel quantity, from which the fuel consumed value was subtracted. The pilot's habit pattern (based upon his previous experience with the accuracy of the unit) was that he did not verify fuel quantity by looking in or 'sticking' the tanks. Instead, he relied solely on the indications of the fuel totalizer in the cockpit, and also ignored the airplane fuel quantity gauges. Based on the information provided by the pilot, he had attempted to fly at least 250 miles, and conduct 6 takeoffs, on less than 40 gallons of fuel. Review of the airplane manufacturer's performance data indicated that a minimum of about 36 to 40 gallons would have been required, and that the required quantity could have been significantly greater than that, depending on power settings, engine leaning, and actual flight times and distances.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/16/2013
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2230
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Oceanside
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92054
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 331805N
Event Location Longitude 1172119W
Event Location Airport MCAS Camp Pendleton
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KNFG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 78
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 2154 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID NFG
Elevation of weather observation facility 78
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1646
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) --
NTSB Notification Source FAA NWM ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2014 12:30PM
User who most recently changed record huhm
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6186R
NTSB Number WPR14LA056
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 T210 - F
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number T210-0086
Certified Max Gross Weight 3300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 28 2013 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 4759
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Ann Sofie Bjork
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Philadelphia
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19127
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Matthew Kaplan
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Redondo Beach
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 90278
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 SEE
Departure City San Diego
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1015
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code HHR
Destination City Hawthorne
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 8 2014 5:32PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --