Cessna T210N accident near Eagle, Colorado, October 23, 2017
On October 23, 2017 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1979 Cessna T210N, registered N5129C, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Eagle, Colorado (Eagle County Rgnl 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
The pilot’s inadequate preflight fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 2017 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Eagle, Colorado · Eagle County Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N N, built 1979 · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5129C · no longer on the register · serial 21063707
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following a 1.5-hour local flight, the pilot was returning to his home airfield. Due to inbound traffic to the airport, the pilot circled once to the west and descended for the runway. About 8 miles from the runway, he lowered the landing gear and set 10° flaps. While on the base leg, the engine did not respond to the throttle inputs. The pilot switched fuel tanks, turned on the auxiliary fuel pump, and increased the mixture. Engine power was not restored, and the pilot notified the tower that the airplane had a total loss of engine power. Traffic was too heavy on a nearby road, so the pilot performed a forced landing to a vacant field. The airplane touched down, and the pilot applied brakes. The airplane traveled for about 90 ft, hit a ditch, and nosed over. The pilot reported that he thought that he had about 45 gallons of fuel before takeoff, but he told the Federal Aviation Administration inspector that he had miscalculated his fuel. Only residue fuel was found during recovery of the airplane. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
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
- Fuel starvation during approach defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,355 hours in all; 646 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 15, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,941 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 24, 2017
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
The flight
- Departed from: EGE Eagle CO at 10:00 pm
- Destination: EGE Eagle CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.48 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from KEGE, 2 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
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 29, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - Burton | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N5129C 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.