Cessna P210N accident near Weslaco, Texas, May 21, 2006
On May 21, 2006 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cessna P210N, registered N731RR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Weslaco, Texas (Mid Valley Airport). It was a ferry 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 planning. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain available to the pilot for the forced landing,
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 2006 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Weslaco, Texas · Mid Valley Airport · 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
- N731RR · registry record · serial P21000538
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 954-hour private pilot was on a 24-mile ferry flight when the single-engine airplane lost engine power, approximately 3.5 miles from the destination airport. According to a written statement, the pilot reported that he switched to the left fuel tank and turned on the electric fuel pump, and the engine began to "run again." The pilot elected to climb to 1,500 feet and headed directly to the runway; however, approximately 2 miles from the runway the engine lost power again. The pilot made a mayday call and prepared for a forced landing in an open field short of the airport. During the landing roll, the landing gear collapsed and the airplane sustained structural damage. Prior to his departure, the pilot reported that the fuel gauges were showing 13 gallons of fuel in each tank; however, he did not visually check the fuel amount. The FAA inspector, who responded to the accident scene, examined the airplane and found no fuel in the airplane's fuel lines or tanks.
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: 954 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 930 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MFE Mc Allen TX at 9:10 pm
- Destination: T65 Weslaco TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 4,998 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from MFE, 15 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.
Other NTSB records under N731RR 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.