Cessna T210 accident near Lafayette, Georgia, April 15, 1990
On April 15, 1990 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna T210, registered N761YK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lafayette, Georgia (Lafayette Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY MANAGE HIS FUEL SUPPLY, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 1990 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lafayette, Georgia · Lafayette Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210 · all T210s on the register
- Registration
- N761YK · registry record · serial 21062623
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT WAS REPORTED AS ROUTINE UNTIL THE PILOT WAS CLEARED TO A LOWER ALTITUDE. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, THE PILOT INFORMED THE APPROACH CONTROLLER OF AN ENGINE PROBLEM. HE WAS GIVEN RADAR VECTORS TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. AS THE PILOT TURNED FROM BASE TO FINAL, HE LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR. A HIGH SINK RATE DEVELOPED AND THE FLIGHT CRASHED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE TYPICALLY RAN ONE FUEL TANK DRY BEFORE SWITCHING TANKS. IN THIS CASE, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND HE SELECTED THE OTHER TANK, BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESPOND WHEN HE ATTEMPTED A RESTART. THE ENGINE WAS FUEL INJECTED. REPORTEDLY, LOSS OF PRIME MAY HAVE RESULTED IN DIFFICULTY IN RESTARTING. THE PILOT WAS AWARE OF FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,069 hours in all; 119 in this make and model; 111 in the last 90 days; 897 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,762 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 30, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PIE St Petersburg FL at 2:00 pm
- Destination: CHA Chattanooga TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 20, 4,780 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:30 pm from CHA, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N761YK the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.