Cessna 210 D accident near Fort Wayne, Indiana, August 10, 2007
On August 10, 2007 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 210 D, registered N3794Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Wayne, Indiana (Fort Wayne airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 2007 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Wayne, Indiana · Fort Wayne · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210 D · all 210 Ds on the register
- Registration
- N3794Y · no longer on the register · serial 21058294
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane made a forced landing after a loss of engine power while turning left base for a touch and go landing. The pilot reported that he estimated that the fuel remaining in the airplane after a previous flight was about 20 to 30 gallons, all in the left fuel tank. He reported, "I had run rt. [right] tank out of fuel and left remaining fuel in lt. [left] tank." He reported that during the preflight, the fuel gauges indicated that the left fuel tank was empty, and the right fuel tank was full. The pilot reported that a ladder was not available so he did not visually check the fuel in the tanks. He reported that he had planned to do three takeoffs and landings. He reported that he departed on the first takeoff and while turning a left base for runway 32, the engine lost power. He attempted an engine restart but without success. He executed a forced landing to a cornfield. The inspection of the airplane revealed that both fuel tanks were empty. When the battery was turned on, the left fuel gauge indicated full and the right fuel gauge indicated no fuel.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,400 hours in all; 2,400 in this make and model; 3,350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FWA Fort Wayne IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.