Cessna T210N accident near Presidio, Texas, October 25, 2010
On October 25, 2010 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N200WT, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Presidio, Texas (Presidio Lely International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 25, 2010 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Presidio, Texas · Presidio Lely International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N200WT · no longer on the register · serial 21063050
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot used a power setting of 2500 rpm and 30 inches manifold pressure after departure and the airplane climbed through 7,000 feet at 110 knots indicated airspeed. The fuel pressure started fluctuating and the engine began accelerating and decelerating. The pilot turned the fuel pump to LOW BOOST and switched fuel tanks. Engine power continued to fluctuate and the engine rpm began to decay. The pilot turned back towards the departure airport. He was unable to restore power and, during the ensuing forced landing, the airplane impacted terrain that tore off the empennage, bent the right wing, and collapsed the landing gear. Both fuel tanks were found to be intact. The retrieval company reported draining "only a few gallons" of fuel from the tanks when the wreckage was recovered. The pilot indicated that over 60 gallons of fuel should have been on board. The engine was later functionally tested and operated smoothly at all power settings with no anomalies noted.
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
What happened, in order
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 27,000 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 27,000 as pilot in command; 15,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 24, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,378 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 26, 2009; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T77 Presidio TX at 4:15 pm
- Destination: 5T6 Santa Teresa NM
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:00 pm from MRF, 37 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.
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.