Cessna T210F accident near Desdemona, Texas, June 17, 2018
On June 17, 2018 at about 1:30 pm local time, a 1965 Cessna T210F, registered N6107R, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Desdemona, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power due to the fuel pump’s fuel flow setting being set too high, which resulted in an excessive fuel flow to the engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 2018 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Desdemona, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210F F, built 1965 · all T210Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6107R · no longer on the register · serial T210-0007
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight. He stated that the engine began running roughly during cruise flight. He leaned the mixture, and the engine roughness subsided; however, a few minutes later, the engine began running roughly again. He switched fuel tanks, but the engine continued running roughly. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost all power. The pilot subsequently conducted a forced landing in a soft, sandy field, and the airplane nosed over. A postaccident engine test-run revealed that the engine would not maintain power and that the fuel flow was excessive. A subsequent bench test of the fuel pump revealed that the pump was set to a high fuel flow setting, beyond the engine’s normal limits. The fuel pump was adjusted and reinstalled on the engine for another test-run. During the second test-run, the engine operated smoothly at a stabilized fuel flow within the operating limits for the engine. Given this evidence, it is likely that the engine lost power due the fuel pump’s flow setting being set to high, which resulted in an excessive fuel flow to the engine.
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 defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel pumps › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 332 hours in all; 42 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 276 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 3, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,315 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 22, 2017; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,725 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520C (piston); 2,967 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9F0 Dublin TX at 1:20 pm
- Destination: 3F2 Cisco TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,400 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from SEP, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on December 10, 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, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | NTSB Engine Examination | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Engine Operational Test Log | 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.
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.