HERLONG, CA, USA
N4857C
CESSNA T210N
ON A PREVIOUS FLT, THE ACFT'S ELEC SYS OVERHEATED & FAILED. THE PLT DIVERTED TO BISHOP, CA, WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED. APRX 1 HR AFTER TAKING OFF ON THE NEXT FLT, THE ALTERNATOR CIRCUIT BREAKER 'POPPED.' THE PLT TURNED OFF THE ELEC MASTER SW & DECIDED TO CONT TO THE DESTN. HOWEVER, A SHORT TIME LATER, THE ENG BEGAN TO SURGE & SUBSEQUENTLY LOST POWER. THE PLT INITIATED EMERG PROCEDURES, BUT DID NOT RECALL SWITCHING THE FUEL SELECTOR. HE MNVRD THE ACFT TO LAND AT A NEARBY ARPT, BUT AFTER EXTENDING THE GEAR TO LAND, HE REALIZED THE ACFT WOULD NOT REACH THE RWY. BEFORE MAKING AN OFF-ARPT LANDING, HE SAW TRANSMISSION LINES AHEAD, BUT HAD INSUFFICIENT SPEED TO FLY OVER THEM. WHILE CROSSING UNDER THE WIRES TO LAND, THE ACFT HIT THE GND & WAS DMGD. AN EXAM REVEALED THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS PSND TO THE LEFT TANK, WHICH CONTAINED ONLY OUNCES OF FUEL. THE RGT TANK HAD AN ESTIMATED 15 TO 20 GAL OF FUEL REMAINING. WHEN CHECKED, THE ALTERNATOR CIRCUIT FAILED TO SUSTAIN AN ELEC LOAD AT ITS RATED CAPACITY.
FUEL STARVATION, AFTER THE PILOT DIVERTED HIS ATTENTION TO AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, AND HIS FAILURE TO REPOSITION THE FUEL SELECTOR SWITCH, EITHER BEFORE THE ENGINE LOST POWER OR DURING EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE TRIPPED ALTERNATOR CIRCUIT BREAKER, AND HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
