Cessna 210D accident near Carefree, Arizona, June 29, 2003
On June 29, 2003 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 210D, registered N3826Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carefree, Arizona. 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
fuel exhaustion due to a crack on the elbow fitting to the gascolator resulted in a fuel leak.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2003 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Carefree, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210D · all 210Ds on the register
- Registration
- N3826Y · no longer on the register · serial 21058326
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane lost engine power and made a forced landing on a road, encountered rough terrain, and nosed over. The pilot fueled the airplane with about 5 hours of fuel. After about 4 hours she contacted the tower and told them of her intention to land. Soon after, the engine failed. She switched tanks, the engine restarted, and then it quit again. She realized there must have been a fuel leak and radioed the tower to advise them of the engine failure. She attempted to land at a private airport; however, the airplane landed on a road and came to rest inverted. No fuel was discovered at the scene of the accident. A post accident inspection revealed a crack on the bottom of the elbow fitting, which was on the bottom of the gascolator. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector performed a test using soap and water. At 3 to 5 pounds of pressure, the assembly began bubbling at the crack, indicating a leak. The inspector noted blue stains along the bottom of the airplane. The inspector opined that the crack was the result of excessive torque used to tighten the fitting.
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
- Flight time: 2,072 hours in all; 1,825 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 2,030 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 13, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,406.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 29, 2002; 74.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VCB Vacaville CA at 1:15 pm
- Destination: SDL Scottsdale AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from SDL, 11 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.