Cessna P210 accident near Allendale, South Carolina, August 7, 2020
On August 7, 2020 at about 2:36 pm local time, a 1981 Cessna P210, registered N6300W, was destroyed in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Allendale, South Carolina (Allendale County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power as a result of fuel starvation due to contamination from a thermoplastic polymer used in the fuel system. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to report debris observed in the fuel system during previous preflight inspections to maintenance personnel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 2020 · about 2:36 pm local time
- Place
- Allendale, South Carolina · Allendale County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210 N, built 1981 · all P210s on the register
- Registration
- N6300W · no longer on the register · serial P21000744
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot fueled the airplane prior to departure and sumped the fuel tanks. He noted debris in the right fuel tank sample but continued to sump the tank until the fuel did not contain any debris. The flight was unremarkable, but on final approach to the runway, the engine lost total power, and the pilot was unable to restart it. He performed a forced landing to a field, and the airplane struck trees before it impacted the ground. A postimpact fire ensued and the airplane was destroyed. Examination of the engine revealed that the throttle body fuel inlet screen was blocked by debris. The pilot reported that he had noted debris in the fuel sumped from the right wing on previous occasions. The mechanic who performed the most recent maintenance on the engine noted that the pilot never mentioned the debris in the right fuel tank until after the accident. The debris was examined by the NTSB Materials Laboratory and was found to be a strong match for polyethylene terephthalate, which is commonly found in fuel system components. The fueling records from the fixed based operator were examined, no anomalies were noted, and no other fueling issues were noted with other aircraft that fueled from the same equipment/tanks. Therefore, it is likely that the debris came from the fuel system inside the airplane. The component origin of the debris from within the fuel system could not be determined. The engine and fuel system were last overhauled about 8 flight hours before the accident flight, which included installing an overhauled throttle control/throttle body. It’s likely that the debris in the fuel system built up over the 8 hours since overhaul and blocked the fuel inlet screen, which led to a total loss of engine power. The pilot’s failure to report debris in the fuel system during previous preflight inspections to maintenance personnel prevented an opportunity to discover the debris in the fuel system prior to the accident flight.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
- Fuel related during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel filter › strainer › Damaged/degraded
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,552 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 1,552 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,719 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 3, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Contienental Motors Inc. TSIO-520-P (piston); 1,918 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: N206Dj, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: GNV Gainesville FL at 12:30 pm
- Destination: AQX Allendale SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,990 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 2:35 pm from AQX, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
12 documents, released by the NTSB on January 26, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Interview Summary | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Wreckage Examination Summary | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Maintenance Record Excerpts | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Gainesville Fuel Quality Assurance Record and Fuel Purchases from Pilot | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 6 | NTSB Examination of Debris in Fuel Screen | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Mechanic Interview Summary | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 10 | Engine Overhaul Paperwork | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 11 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 12 | Evidence Control Form | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N6300W 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.