Cessna 210 accident near Louisville, Kentucky, June 16, 2000
On June 16, 2000 at about 5:27 pm local time, a Cessna 210, registered N485CA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Louisville, Kentucky. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper operation of the fuel selector.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 2000 · about 5:27 pm local time
- Place
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210 · all 210s on the register
- Registration
- N485CA · registry record · serial 2105819
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The accident happened on the third flight of the day. During the pervious two flights the pilot noticed nothing unusual about the airplane. On the third flight, the fuel selector was set to the left tank for departure and cruise. Each fuel tank had approximately 30 gallons of fuel at departure. The airplane departed, and climbed to an en route altitude of 2,500 feet msl for the 15 minutes flight. About 10 minutes into the flight, the pilot completed the descent checks, selected flaps to 10 degrees, and switched from the left tank to the right tank, transitioning the off position. Two minutes after switching tanks, and with no warning, the pilot experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot switched back to the left tank. He tried several different engine control, and auxiliary fuel pump configurations to attempt a restart, but was unsuccessful. The pilot executed a forced landing to a field. The airplane touched down and nosed over. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact failures with either the engine or the airframe.
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
- Flight time: 1,829 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 1,592 as pilot in command; 318 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,251 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 16, 1999; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AAS Campbellsville KY at 6:10 pm
- Destination: LOU KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from LOU, 8 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.