Cessna P210N accident near Phoenix, Arizona, October 9, 2000
On October 9, 2000 at about 6:16 pm local time, a Cessna P210N, registered N888MM, was destroyed in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to operate the airplane according to the flight manual, resulting in fuel starvation and loss of engine power during a critical phase of flight. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing and the presence of utility lines at the forced landing site.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 2000 · about 6:16 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N888MM · registry record · serial P21000536
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on final approach, low, and configured to land, the engine lost all power. The pilot attempted to land in a field and collided with power lines. After returning from Mexico, and reentering the United States at a port of entry, the flight proceeded to the destination airport. Upon arrival the tower advised the pilot to hold for landing sequence, and was cleared to land after about 5 minutes of holding. The ATCT controllers observed the airplane turn left and descend steeply out of sight. Fuel was not available at the Mexico location and not purchased at the port of entry. According to a recovered trip log of seven previous trips, an average similar trip took 3.5 hours as recorded from the mechanical recording tachometer. The average fuel quantity used per round trip was 68.5 gallons. The highest recorded fuel used was 72.6 gallons. The longest round trip time was 3.7 hours. The lowest fuel quantity used was 65.1 gallons. The average fuel burn rate was 19.57 gallons per hour. The average number of gallons remaining at Deer Valley airport was 20.5 plus or minus 5 gallons. The actual fuel quantity could not be determined. The airplane has a two-tank system of 44.5 gallons of usable fuel in each tank, when properly serviced. The fuel selector was found in the off position, possibly a reaction to the emergency. The selector provides fuel from either the left or right fuel tank, but not both simultaneously. The postaccident fire destroyed the left wing and part of the right wing root; no fuel was found in the tank system. Cessna pilot safety and warning supplements were recovered from the wreckage. According to the information, if the fuel tank outlet is uncovered, by fuel, fuel flow to the engine may be interrupted and a temporary loss of power might result. A note in the pilot information manual for the fuel system states that "unusable fuel is at a minimum due to the design of the fuel system. However, when the fuel tanks are 1/4 full or less, prolonged uncoordinated flight such as slips or skids can uncover the fuel tank outlets, causing fuel starvation and engine stoppage. Therefore, with low fuel reserves, do not allow the airplane to remain in uncoordinated flight for periods in excess of one minute."
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,150 hours in all; 346 in this make and model
- Last flight review: October 1, 1998
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,074 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 29, 1999
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-P (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: OLS Nogales AZ at 5:20 pm
- Destination: DVT Phoenix AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 6:16 pm from DVT, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.