Cessna 210 accident near Kemmerer, Wyoming, August 30, 2012
On August 30, 2012 at about 3:48 pm local time, a Cessna 210, registered N7321E, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Kemmerer, Wyoming. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the incorrect installation of the fuel bladder tanks.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2012 · about 3:48 pm local time
- Place
- Kemmerer, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210 · all 210s on the register
- Registration
- N7321E · no longer on the register · serial 57021
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that before the accident flight, he verified that both of the airplane’s fuel tanks were full and that he reviewed the pilot operating handbook for the fuel consumption rate for his intended flight. While he was en route, the pilot noticed that the fuel gauges indicated that both the left and right tanks were about 1/4 full. The pilot stated that he diverted to a nearby airport. As the airplane descended, the left fuel tank “gave out,” and the pilot switched the fuel selector to the right fuel tank. However, as the airplane approached the airport, the engine lost power. Despite the pilot’s attempts, the engine would not restart, and the pilot made a forced landing to an open field. Wreckage recovery personnel reported that they removed about 4 ounces of fuel from the right fuel tank and 4 gallons from the left fuel tank. According to the Cessna 210 pilot operating handbook, the airplane’s fuel system contained 3.5 gallons of unusable fuel per tank. Both the left and right fuel caps and seals were intact and undamaged. No additional mechanical anomalies were noted. It is likely that the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing fuel bladder tank was mostly disconnected from all of its internal retaining clips, and the left wing fuel bladder tank was disconnected from two of its internal clips. The displacement of the fuel bladder tanks from the retaining clips likely resulted in the pilot observing inaccurate fuel level indications in the tanks and on the fuel gauges during the preflight visual inspection. The maintenance logbooks were not made available for review and thus a maintenance history could not be determined.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute (cruise)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › (general) › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 504 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 4, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Williston ND at 12:00 pm
- Destination: Heber City UT
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KEVW, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.