NTSB Factual Report

On November 12, 2004, at 1100 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 210, N5LT, collided with a fence short of the runway following a loss of engine power on final approach to Apple Valley Airport (APV), Apple Valley, California. The pilot/owner operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight that departed about 1015. No flight plan had been filed.

According to a San Bernardino sheriff's deputy that responded to the accident, the airplane came to rest about 1,000 yards prior to the approach end of runway 36. The deputy moved the wings; there was no sound of liquid moving around, and the wings sounded "hollow," as if they were empty. However, the deputy observed a trickle of fuel near the wing roots. The deputy took a statement from the pilot. The pilot reported that there had been recent maintenance done on the landing gear. Prior to departure on the accident flight, he conducted a preflight inspection, and noted that each wing tank was about 1/2 full. The pilot further reported that upon arrival at the destination airport at the end of the flight, he performed two touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. On the third landing, while on final approach, he advanced the throttle and noted that there was not a corresponding increase in power. He was unable to restart the engine, and the airplane began to lose altitude. He thought the airplane was going to touchdown in an open field just prior to the runway; however, the nose landing gear caught a chain link fence that he had not seen. The airplane dove to the ground and nosed over, coming to rest inverted.

In the pilot's written statement he reported that he arrived at the airport with his passenger and conducted a preflight inspection of the airplane that included checking all three-fuel sumps for fuel contamination. The mechanic at the airport had cautioned him about possible water contamination in the fuel tanks due to the recent rains since the airplane had been parked outside. The pilot reported 1.5 hours of fuel in the left fuel tank and 1.0 hour of fuel in the right fuel tank. No discrepancies were noted with the preflight inspection or fuel check.

The pilot reported that he had given a stopwatch to his passenger to keep track of their flight time. The purpose of the flight was to view a construction area at 6,500 feet mean sea level (msl). The pilot asked the passenger for the time and indicated that they were "1/2 way [and] we headed back," so that they could check the recently repaired landing gear. At that point he switched to the right fuel tank, and noted that all gauges were in the "green." As the airplane headed east, in the vicinity of Hesperia, the pilot cycled the landing gear several times, and then headed back towards Apple Valley.

The pilot stated that they did a touch-and-go landing and takeoff of from runway 18L. During the touch-and-go landing, UNICOM indicated a change in wind direction, and subsequently changed the runway direction to 36R. The pilot thought this would cause confusion with aircraft entering the traffic pattern, so he exited the pattern, and climbed to 5,500 feet msl. He noted helicopter traffic below him, and "swung out around the hills to come in on a 45 for 36R."

The pilot asked the passenger to provide him with a stopwatch time, to which the passenger replied it was at 39 minutes. With the airplane behind a slower Cessna in the traffic pattern, the pilot slowed down his airplane and conducted a "GUMPS" (Gear, Undercarriage, Mixture, Propeller, Speed) check; the landing gear was down with a green light illumination, fuel selector on fullest tank (right), mixture full in, propeller full in (rich position), power reduction, and seatbelts on and engaged. He had already closed the cowl flaps. He observed the Cessna turn right onto the base leg, and he extended his pattern to give the landing traffic time to land. When the landing Cessna was at the runway threshold, he turned on the base leg. The pilot again went through his GUMPS checklist, while stating each item verbally for his passenger to hear and watch. With an airspeed of 80 knots and winds 10-15 knots down the runway, he added another notch of flaps (for a total of 20 degrees flaps down), and reduced the power. He noted that the airplane was losing altitude on final approach, which he confirmed visually by the VASI lights illumination of white over red. He then applied engine power to arrest the descent and maintain a proper glide path for landing.

The pilot reported that when he added power (pushed the throttle control forward), he noticed that the engine was not generating power. He switched the fuel selector to the left fuel tank position, and pulled back on the yoke to stop the descent. He advanced the throttle to full forward, but there was no response from the engine; he then switched the fuel selector back to the right fuel tank position. He then briefed his passenger on emergency procedures, and "pulled prop[eller] in [and] out, no response." The stall warning horn started to sound, and he pushed the nose down to maintain airspeed. The pilot reported that as he was starting to flare, the airplane jerked as it hit the fence and then slowly went over inverted.

In the pilot's written statement he indicated that there was 18 gallons of fuel in the left fuel tank, and 12 gallons of fuel in the right fuel tank.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector interviewed the pilot. The pilot indicated that he had extended his downwind due to traffic in the pattern. On the downwind leg he had switched the fuel selector from the left tank to the right tank. When the loss of power occurred he noted his altitude was at 400 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot switched the fuel selector from the right fuel tank to the left fuel tank; then back to the right fuel tank. When the airplane was at 200 feet agl, the pilot lowered the nose to keep the airplane from stalling. The airplane's nose landing gear contacted a fence and the airplane nosed over coming to rest inverted.

According to the FAA inspector, approximately 7.5 gallons of fuel was drained from the right fuel tank, and 1.5 gallons of fuel was drained from the left fuel tank. Fuel was also found in the gascolator bowl.

According to Cessna's owner's manual, the airplane holds a total of 65 gallons of fuel, 32.5 gallons in each wing. The unusable fuel in the airplane is 5 gallons per wing in normal flight maneuvers. Fuel burn at 2,450 rpm (revolutions per minute) is indicated in the owner's manual as follows:

2,500 feet - 14.2 gallons per hour

5,000 feet - 14.8 gallons per hour

7,000 feet - 13.4 gallons per hour

The Cessna owner's manual further revealed that at a gross weight of 2,900 pounds, at sea level conditions with a temperature of 59 degrees Fahrenheit, during climb fuel used is 2.0 gallons. At 5,000 feet and 41 degrees Fahrenheit, fuel used is 3.3 gallons during climb.

According to the Airport Facility Directory, Apple Valley is at an elevation of 3,062 feet.

NTSB Probable Cause

loss of engine power due to fuel starvation/exhaustion, which was a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and failure to ensure there was enough fuel onboard for the flight.