Cessna P210R accident near Albia, Iowa, June 18, 2011
On June 18, 2011 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna P210R, registered N900SR, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Albia, Iowa (Albia Municipal airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, in which he did not detect that less fuel was on board the airplane than planned, which precipitated a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion during initial descent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 2011 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Albia, Iowa · Albia Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210R · all P210Rs on the register
- Registration
- N900SR · no longer on the register · serial P21000839
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the airplane was fully fueled before takeoff. While en route, he requested a destination change due to deteriorating weather along his route of flight. During the descent, about 15,000 feet mean sea level, the engine lost power. The pilot’s efforts to restore engine power were not successful, and he diverted to the nearest airport. The airplane descended below the clouds about 1,000 feet above ground level; however, the airplane was not in a position to land on the runway. The airplane ultimately lost too much airspeed and altitude as the pilot attempted to configure and align the airplane for a landing on the runway. He subsequently landed in a grass area about 100 feet southwest of the runway, nearly perpendicular to the runway orientation. A postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction. No useable fuel was observed in the airplane fuel tanks at the time of the examination. The fuel tank caps were securely installed, and no evidence of fuel staining or siphoning was observed on the airframe. The pilot noted that the fuel quantity indications before the loss of engine power were near empty and about 10 gallons for the right and left tanks, respectively. He added that the fuel gauges had never worked properly. The pilot stated that he did not visually check the amount of fuel on board during the preflight inspection. He commented that normal airplane endurance was about 5 1/2 hours and the accident flight was about 3 1/2 hours in duration. The airplane was not in compliance with a Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Directive requiring a placard denoting that the fuel level must be rechecked 2 minutes after fueling to ensure full fuel tank capacity. In addition, the airplane Pilot's Operating Handbook required a visual inspection of the fuel level as part of the preflight inspection.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (descent) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Landing gear collapse during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Inoperative
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 725 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 700 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 6, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,604.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2010; 16.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental Motors TSIO-520-CE (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Drake Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: GJT Grand Junction CO at 4:08 pm
- Destination: IOW Iowa City IA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 3,398 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 7:26 pm from OTM, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.