Cessna T210K accident near Boise, Idaho, October 13, 2015
On October 13, 2015 at about 1:00 pm local time, a 1970 Cessna T210K, registered N8273M, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Boise, Idaho (Boise Air Terminal/Gowen Fld airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper in-flight fuel management due to distraction and self-induced pressure, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to conduct the descent checklist, which included a task to manage fuel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 2015 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Boise, Idaho · Boise Air Terminal/Gowen Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210K, built 1970 · all T210Ks on the register
- Registration
- N8273M · no longer on the register · serial 21059273
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he departed on a time-sensitive cargo flight with about 30 gallons of fuel in each tank. The flight was uneventful until the airplane was about 650 ft above ground level and about 2 miles from the destination airport when the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot attempted to troubleshoot the loss of power by activating both fuel boost pumps, but he did not verify the fuel selector position or attempt an engine restart, and the engine power was not restored. He configured the airplane to land on an interstate adjacent to the airport and activated the landing gear; however, the gear did not extend before the airplane impacted the road. The pilot reported that he was distracted with some paperwork during the flight and "failed to switch tanks" at the halfway point as he had initially planned. Further, the pilot experienced high workload during the descent due to weather reports and other traffic, and he did not use the descent checklist, which included a task to "manage fuel." Postaccident examination of the fuel system revealed that about 22 gallons of fuel remained in the left fuel tank and that there was no fuel in the right fuel tank. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the engine that would have precluded normal operation. Further, examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies to the landing gear extension and locking mechanisms. According to the airplane manufacturer, the landing gear hydraulic pump is powered by the engine; therefore, it is likely that the landing gear failed to deploy as a result of the power loss.
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
- Fuel starvation during enroute (descent) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (descent)
- Landing gear not configured during emergency descent
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Personality/attitude › Motivation/respond to pressure › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, sport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: gyroplane; instructor: sport pilot; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 1,490.4 hours in all; 83.8 in this make and model; 230.8 in the last 90 days; 55.5 in the last 30 days; 1,395.6 as pilot in command; 629.5 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 9, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,975.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 25, 2015; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520R (piston); 2,724 hours total
- Operator: Sp Aircraft
The flight
- Departed from: GEG Spokane WA at 11:22 am
- Destination: BOI Boise ID
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from BOI, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N8273M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.