Cessna 210A N6680X

Summary

On 23 December 1996 at about 05:01 local time, a Cessna 210A registered N6680X was involved in an accident near Peyton, Colorado, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 December 1996 at 05:01

Classification

Accident

Location

Peyton, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Meadow Lake (00V)

Coordinates

39.0306, -104.4807

Aircraft

Cessna 210A

Registration

N6680X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ponca City → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Bright

NTSB number

FTW97LA071

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's improper fuel management by failing to avoid a prolong uncoordinated turn or slip, which resulted in fuel starvation. Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, and the lack of (activated) runway lights.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While en route, the pilot learned of deteriorating weather at the destination (Greeley, CO) and diverted to Peyton, CO. After arriving at the new destination, the pilot circled the airport twice as he tried to activate the runway lights. He tried to activate the lights by keying the microphone with the radio set at 123.0 mHz. He then contacted the Colorado Springs control tower to confirm that he was using the proper frequency. Tower personnel assured him that 123.0 mHz was the correct frequency. However, the frequency had been changed to 122.7 mHz two months previously, and the change had been published in the Airport Facility Directory. As the pilot circled the airport a third time, the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to land on a road, but the airplane was substantially damaged when it struck a power line and roadside sign post. Salvage personnel drained 6 and 5 gallons of usable fuel from the left and right fuel tanks, respectively. Cessna's Pilot Safety and Warning Supplements cautioned pilots to avoid prolonged uncoordinated turns or slips, when the fuel level was less than 1/4 tank, so as not to inadvertently uncover fuel tank outlets.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.