NTSB Factual Report

On February 3, 2001, at 0650 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna T210M, N761SE, was substantially damaged during an off-airport emergency landing following loss of engine power during climb to cruise altitude. The certificated commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured. The personal flight, that was operated by the owner under 14 CFR Part 91, departed from the Healdsburg, California airport about 0640, and was destined for Willows, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.

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

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.