Tree-Top Flyer

I was flying my Cessna T210 Turbo Centurion from White Plains, N.Y. (KHPN), to Atlantas Dekalb-Peachtree Airport (KPDK). Thanks to a supplementary tank, I had enough fuel to make the flight with an hour's reserve. Before takeoff, I had watched the line crew fill the fuel tanks to overflowing.

Key Takeaways:

• A pilot experienced fuel exhaustion in a Cessna T210 during a night flight, caused by a combination of a recurring faulty fuel gauge and a hidden fuel tank breather defect that trapped 20 gallons of usable fuel.
• Despite the fuel gauges reading zero, the pilot made several questionable decisions, including continuing to a further airport, cancelling IFR on a dark night, and relying on a totalizer reading over direct observation.
• The engine quit on final approach, leading to a successful (though forced) deliberate stall into trees at night with no serious injury, highlighting the critical lessons of addressing known defects and making prudent in-flight decisions.

Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->

See a mistake? Contact us.