Cessna T210L accident near North St. Louis, Missouri, December 27, 2006
On December 27, 2006 at about 3:15 am local time, a Cessna T210L, registered N6864C, was substantially damaged in an accident near North St. Louis, Missouri. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fuel starvation due to an inadequate fuel supply. A factor associated with the accident was the soft terrain encountered during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 2006 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- North St. Louis, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210L · all T210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N6864C · no longer on the register · serial 21061317
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane contacted trees and the terrain during an off airport forced landing following a loss of engine power. The pilot reported he was making "slow banking" turns to the left during the flight in order to maneuver around controlled airspace. He reported that during the flight the engine began running rough at which time he noticed the fuel flow dropped from 90 pounds per hour (pph) to 70 pph with a manifold pressure of 24 inches. The pilot reported he turned on the fuel boost pump and switched to the right fuel tank. He stated that the engine power increased, but the fuel flow was still fluctuating between 110 and 80 pph. The pilot stated he then heard the engine stop at which time he switched the fuel selector back to the left tank. The pilot reported the engine regained power, but the fuel flow continued to fluctuate from 85 to below 70 pph. The pilot reported the airplane could not maintain level flight and he began looking for an off airport landing site. He located a large, lit parking lot and descended toward it. During the descent, the pilot realized he was not going to be able to make it to the parking lot, so he located a nearby clearing in which to land. The pilot reported he confirmed the landing gear were extended and he added 10 degrees of flaps prior to landing. He also turned the fuel selector to Off and shut off the master switch prior to touchdown. The nose gear collapsed after contacting the soft terrain and the wingtip contacted trees during the landing roll. Post accident inspection of the airplane failed to reveal any mechanical failure/malfunction that would have resulted in the loss of engine power. The inspection revealed there was less than a pint of fuel remaining in the right fuel tank and approximately seven gallons of fuel in the left fuel tank. No fuel was present in the fuel lines from the fuel pump to the fuel flow valve. The pilot reported he departed with 15 gallons of fuel on board the airplane and that the accident flight lasted approximately 10 minutes.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,062 hours in all; 1,450 in this make and model; 107 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 1,984 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520H (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CPS Cahokia IL at 3:05 am
- Destination: 3SQ St. Charles MO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 250° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from STL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.