Cessna 210 accident near Groves, Texas, December 1, 1991
On December 1, 1991 at about 9:56 pm local time, a Cessna 210, registered N9503T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Groves, Texas. 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION WHICH PRECIPITATED THE FORCED LANDING DUE TO THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO DIVERT TO AN ALTERNATE DESTINATION WHEN HE RECOGNIZED THAT FUEL EXHAUSTION WAS A POSSIBILITY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 1991 · about 9:56 pm local time
- Place
- Groves, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210 · all 210s on the register
- Registration
- N9503T · no longer on the register · serial 210-57303
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE ENCOUNTERED THE FORECAST HEAD WINDS EN ROUTE AND HE INTENTIONALLY RAN THE LEFT TANK DRY AND WAS FLYING ON THE RIGHT TANK DURING THE DESCENT WHEN IT ALSO RAN DRY. HE STATED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE TANK CHANGE HE THOUGHT ABOUT REQUESTING AN ALTERNATE, BUT DID NOT. AFTER THE ENGINE FAILURE THE PILOT WAS GIVEN RADAR VECTORS TO THE FINAL LOCALIZER APPROACH COURSE OF A NEARBY AIRPORT; HOWEVER, HE HAD INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO REACH THE RUNWAY. HE BROKE OUT AT 700 FEET AND WAS ABLE TO LAND ON A PLAYING FIELD ADJACENT TO A CHURCH IN AN URBAN AREA. AFTER ROLLING ABOUT 234 FEET, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A BASEBALL BACK STOP AND CAME TO REST IN THE CHURCH PARKING LOT. THE PILOT'S FUEL CALCULATIONS INDICATED THAT HE HAD 6.5 HOURS TO FUEL EXHAUSTION, WHILE ACTUAL FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED AFTER 5.5 HOURS. THE LEFT TANK RAN DRY AT 2.6 HOURS AND THE RIGHT RAN DRY AT 2.9 HOURS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 3,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,810 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 28, 1991; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6A0 Cartersville GA at 4:23 pm
- Destination: AXH Houston TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 700 ft; clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:59 pm from BPT, 3 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.