Cessna P210N accident near Pawhuska, Oklahoma, December 1, 2004
On December 1, 2004 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Cessna P210N, registered N6300P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pawhuska, Oklahoma. It was a positioning 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 pilot's mismanagement of the fuel by his failure to adequately set the fuel selector position which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 2004 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Pawhuska, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6300P · registry record · serial P2100166
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 4,000-hour pilot reported that during cruise flight, the engine lost power. While descending, the pilot further stated that he disengaged the autopilot, advanced the mixture to full, cycled the fuel pump, and switched from the left to the right fuel tank, and "the engine momentarily gained power for a few minutes." Subsequently, the engine lost power again and the pilot elected to land on a gravel road. During the landing roll, the left main wheel separated, and the left main landing gear collapsed as the airplane came to rest in an upright position. Prior to the recovery of the airplane, the Federal Aviation Administration inspector was able to start the engine using the right fuel tank. The engine ran for approximately 10 minutes with no abnormalities noted before the inspector shut the engine down using the mixture control. During the recovery process, the inspector noted that approximately one gallon of fuel was drained from the left wing fuel tank and approximately 35 gallons of fuel were drained from the right wing fuel tank. As stated in the FAA approved pilot's operating handbook, the unusable fuel quantity for both fuel tanks is one gallon.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 3,500 as pilot in command; 150 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 15, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,068.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 16, 2004; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-HCP; 0 hours total
- Operator: Silver Wings Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: SLN Salina KS at 7:00 pm
- Destination: Tulsa OK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from PNC, 10 miles away
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.