Cessna T210L accident near Melbourne, Florida, February 8, 1989
On February 8, 1989 at about 10:51 pm local time, a Cessna T210L, registered N81859, was substantially damaged in an accident near Melbourne, Florida (Melbourne Regional airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ACCURATELY DETERMINE FUEL QUANTITY PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FOLLOWED BY HIS FAILURE TO OPERATE THE ENGINE ON THE FULLEST FUEL TANK RESULTING IN A FUEL TANK BEING RUN DRY RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE WHILE ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH AT HIS DESTINATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 8, 1989 · about 10:51 pm local time
- Place
- Melbourne, Florida · Melbourne Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210L · all T210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N81859 · no longer on the register · serial 21060301
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS BEING FERRIED TO MELBOURNE BY A CONTRACTOR TO THE US MARSHALS SERVICE. BEFORE DEPARTURE INSPECTION AND ENGINE RUN-UP REVEALED A 500-600 RPM MAGNETO DROP; THE LEFT TANK WAS 3/4 FULL AND THE RIGHT TANK HAD APPROX 15 GALLONS OF FUEL, ACCORDING TO GAUGES. THE PLT HAD WORK DONE THAT REDUCED THE MAG DROP TO 200-250 RPM. THE PLT REPORTED THAT WHILE ON A 3-MILE FINAL TO RWY 4 AT MELBOURNE, THE ENGINE QUIT. HE SAID HE SWITCHED THE SELECTOR TO THE OTHER TANK. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND THE GROUND DURING A FORCED LANDING. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT TANK POSITION. NO FUEL SYSTEM LEAKS WERE EVIDENT. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED 3 OZ OF FUEL IN THE RT TANK; THE LEFT TANK CONTAINED 25 GALLONS BUT APPEARED TO BE 3/4 FULL. THE RT FUEL GAUGE WAS ACCURATE AND THE LEFT READ LOW WHEN TESTED. THE RT MAG DROP WAS 700 RPM DRG A TEST-RUN. THE RT MAG IMPULSE SPRING WAS BROKEN, ALLOWING INTERNAL TIMING TO VARY.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,639 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 6, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-H4A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Stambaugh'S Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: FPR Fort Pierce FL at 10:28 pm
- Destination: MLB Melbourne FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 3,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from MLB, 1 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.