Cessna 210L accident near Montrose, Pennsylvania, November 28, 2013
On November 28, 2013 at about 6:51 am local time, a 1974 Cessna 210L, registered N777BK, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Montrose, Pennsylvania. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to check the fuel tanks for contaminants after fueling, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to water contamination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 28, 2013 · about 6:51 am local time
- Place
- Montrose, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210L, built 1974 · all 210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N777BK · registry record · serial 21060560
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he had the airplane refueled before takeoff but that he did not check the fuel tanks for contaminants after fueling. The pilot performed an engine run-up before departure and reported no discrepancies. After departure, the airplane climbed to 8,500 feet mean sea level while proceeding toward the destination airport. After about 15 minutes in cruise flight, the pilot positioned the fuel selector to the left tank, and, about 15 minutes later, the engine lost power; however, the fuel flow increased to about 140 pounds per hour, and the fuel flow needle reached the maximum indication. The pilot's attempts to restore engine power were unsuccessful. The airplane was unable to maintain altitude, so the pilot used the on-board GPS receiver to locate the nearest airport; however, he realized that the airplane would be unable to reach the airport. He maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing on a road but again realized that he would be unable to reach that road. After descending below the clouds, he maneuvered the airplane for a landing on another road, and the airplane subsequently collided with an unmarked power line that crossed the road diagonally. The airplane contacted the ground and then came to rest upright. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed water contamination in both fuel tanks, the fuel strainer, and left header tank; however, no water was detected in the engine fuel system components; both of the fuel caps' seals were satisfactory. There were no reports of other airplanes fueled by the same truck having water contamination issues, and an examination of the truck used revealed that it was clean and in good repair. The source of the water could not be determined. The engine was removed from the airplane and placed in a test cell, and it was operated to near-full takeoff rpm with no discrepancies noted. Although no water was detected in the engine fuel system components, the excessive fuel flow reported by the pilot at the time of the total loss of engine power was consistent with water freezing at the manifold valve, which prevented the piston from allowing the fuel to flow to each cylinder. Postaccident surveillance of the airline by its Federal Aviation Administration principal maintenance inspector revealed four instances in which other company pilots did not check the fuel tanks for contaminants after fueling, which was not in accordance with the operator's operations manual. After the accident, the company's director of operations issued flight operations bulletins reminding company pilots of the requirement to check the fuel tanks after fueling and the location of the fuel tank drains.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Water › Fluid condition
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,505 hours in all; 1,936 in this make and model; 191 in the last 90 days; 72 in the last 30 days; 4,450 as pilot in command; 2,223 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 18, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,551 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 25, 2013; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,803 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-520-L (piston); 3,283 hours total
- Operator: Airnet Systems, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: TEB Teterboro NJ at 6:36 am
- Destination: BUF Buffalo NY
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 300° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,800 ft; scat at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 am from BGM, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N777BK the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
1992-09-21MIA92LA188 · accident near Orlando, FL · substantial damage · no injuries
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.