EAGLE, CO, USA
N1119W
Cessna T210
During initial climb after takeoff for a cross-country flight, the engine began to run rough. The pilot turned the aircraft back toward the airport, but the engine lost all power, and a forced landing was made in a field. During the landing, the left fuel tank ruptured, a fire erupted, and the aircraft was destroyed. The pilot and one passenger received serious injuries; the other passenger and a dog were not injured. Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction, but water was found in the fuel injection distribution valve, and the valve was free of corrosion. The aircraft had been parked for 3 days with partially filled fuel tanks in an environment, in which, the temperature variance over a 24 hour period averaged 30 to 40 degrees. There was evidence that with the temperature variance, condensation may have occurred in the partially filled fuel tanks. The pilot said he was aware of a possible condensation problem and had ordered fuel upon arrival. The FBO, however, waited 3 days before servicing the aircraft. The pilot also said he drained the sumps during his preflight and found no contaminates or water.
On August 9, 1997, at 0900 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 210, N1119W, impacted in a field near the Eagle County Airport, Eagle, Colorado, after experiencing a total loss of power during initial climb following takeoff. The private pilot and his wife received serious injuries, and their son and dog were not injured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact and postimpact fire. The flight was operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91 and a VFR flight plan was filed for this personal flight to San Angelo, Texas. According to the pilot's statement and from telephone interviews with the pilot by the IIC, he and his family had spent a week in the Eagle area and were returning to their home in Texas, when the accident occurred. The pilot said he checked the fuel tanks full and drained the sumps with no water or sediment noted. Engine start, run-up and taxi were normal and all gauges were in the normal range. The takeoff was made on runway 25 with normal rotation occurring at 90 knots. Just prior to raising the landing gear the engine began to run rough and the pilot made an attempt to perform a 180 degree turn to land on runway 07. He also went full rich on the mixture and turned on the boost pump. The engine lost all power and a forced landing was made in a field approximately 1/2 mile off the approach end of runway 07. The left wing fuel tank was ruptured in the landing and the aircraft caught fire. The pilot, his wife, son, and dog exited the aircraft; however, fuel spilled on the pilot and his left arm caught fire. His wife and son extinguished the fire on the pilot and all occupants successfully exited the aircraft which was burning. Following the occupants' egress, the aircraft exploded. Injuries were confined to the pilot and his wife. Both fractured T-12 vertebrae, and the pilot suffered second degree burns and a fractured L-1 vertebrae. The engine was examined at the facilities of Beegles Aircraft Services, Greeley, Colorado, on August 19, 1997. Present for the examination were: NTSB Investigator-In-Charge (IIC), and representatives from Cessna Aircraft, and Continental Engines. The engine was a Continental TSIO-520-R, serial number 209551-R. The engine had been subjected to fire and impact damage, exterior sooting, with some melting, and burn damage to the accessory section and other attachments and appendages as follows: All hoses cables and wires in the engine compartment were burned, stretched, and/or broken. Most of the induction system, including the throttle body, was melted. The butterfly valve remained. The fuel control unit suffered fire damage but was not melted. The throttle linkage was loose, and the mixture was full rich. The turbocharger remained attached to the engine exhaust system but could not be rotated due to the hood having melted and run into the compressor inlet. No other foreign material was found in the inlet or turbine areas. The turbocharger was removed and taken to Allied Signal, Phoenix, Arizona, by the IIC for disassembly and examination. No preimpact damage or failure was found. See attached Allied Signal Technical Report. The induction tubing was intact with some impact damage on the left side between cylinders number 4 and 6. A broken clamp was found on the joint between cylinders number 2 and 4. The clamp was sent to the Safety Board Materials Laboratory for examination. According to the Materials Laboratory Report, the clamp failure was postimpact. See attached report. The exhaust system was crushed and fractured from impact. The propeller was removed from the flange. The first blade was straight past midpoint and then bent aft with a slight "S" curve. Chordwise scratching was present. Blade 2 was broken back in the hub. The blade was straight with the outer 2 inches missing. The area around the fracture was curled back. This blade exhibited chordwise gouges and scratches. The leading edge of the blade was gouged. Blade 3 was bent back approximately 50 degrees. This blade exhibited leading edge damage with some chordwise scarring. Both magnetos were in place and exhibited fire exposure, and both produced spark on the top leads. The wastegate was spring loaded to the open position. The sump was crushed inward. The spark plugs were Champion RHB32E. The electrodes had slight ovaling and the plugs were light gray in color, with some oil soaking on the bottom plugs. The fuel pump had exterior scorching. The coupler was intact and the pump turned freely. One fitting was broken off and an operational check could not be performed. The fuel manifold valve was scorched but intact. The screen was clean and the diaphragm in good condition. Clear water was found in the diaphragm chamber. No evidence of corrosion was present. A "thumb" compression check was conducted. All cylinders had pressure. Following the accident, a fuel sample was taken from the truck which serviced the aircraft. A visual examination of the sample revealed no water or contaminates. According to the fueling documents, the pilot purchased 51.8 gallons of fuel in Eagle, and the aircraft was fueled on August 6, 1997. The aircraft was sitting with partially filled tanks from August 3rd, the arrival date. According to weather information, the differential temperature in the Eagle area during an average 24 hour period in the summer months often fluctuates 30 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. With this temperature variance, it is possible to have condensation build up in a fuel tank with a partial fuel load. The pilot said he requested fuel after arrival. Records were located during the course of the investigation which indicate fuel for the aircraft was ordered on August 3, 1997, with a listed departure date of August 9 or 10.. The pilot said he was aware of the potential problem of fuel tank condensation and the high differential temperature which enhances fuel tank condensation and that is why he ordered fuel on arrival.
water contamination of the fuel, which led to a total loss of engine power and a forced landing. Factors relating to the accident were: the delay in refueling the aircraft by the FBO, which allowed condensation to form in the fuel tanks, and inadequate preflight by the pilot.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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