N2074SCessna T210L · 1975

On May 7, 2020, about 1513 central daylight time, a Cessna T210L airplane, N2074S, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Burleson, Texas. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight.

The airplane was departing from runway 17R at Fort Worth Spinks Airport (FWS), Fort Worth, Texas. According to recorded radio communications and the airplane’s Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast data, the airplane was cleared for takeoff and lifted off about 1504. The pilot made a right turn to crosswind, turned to downwind, climbed to pattern altitude, and then made a full-stop landing about 1508. He was cleared to taxi back to runway 17R and was subsequently cleared for a second takeoff. After the second takeoff the pilot radioed that he was "declaring an emergency” but did not state the nature of the emergency. The controller asked the pilot if he was “going down on the highway there." There was no reply from the pilot.

A witness who observed the airplane climb said he heard the "loud strong engine sound suddenly and drastically reduce to either power off or a low idle." He saw the airplane fly level for a few seconds then descend slowly toward the ground; the wings banked slightly one way, then the other. He stated that the airplane continued flying straight while descending, that the wings began to rock slightly, and that when the airplane was about 10 to 20 ft above the tree line, its “rate of descent accelerated into the trees."

The airplane struck tree-covered terrain and impacted the ground about 1/2 mile south of runway 17R. A postcrash fire ensued.

Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted terrain on a heading of about 120°. The debris field consisted of less than a dozen small pieces of metal within a 12-ft radius of the impact point. The left wingtip was located in a nearby tree about 81 ft above the ground. The right wing bore little evidence of fire impingement, and no fuel was present in the right fuel tank. The left wing and most of the cabin area were consumed by fire.

Further examination of the airframe and engine revealed that the fuel selector valve appeared to be on the left tank but was not in the detent; it was about 5° counterclockwise past the left tank position. The inboard dry bay portions of the right wing were partially consumed by the postimpact fire, but the remainder of the wing exhibited no fire damage. The right fuel tank area of the wing was undamaged. The left wing was consumed by fire from the wing root to the aileron.

The top spark plugs were removed nothing abnormal noted. Engine continuity and compression was confirmed by rotating the propeller, which remained attached to the engine. Spark was produced on all the magneto leads. The engine-driven fuel pump’s driveshaft was intact. There was no fuel in the fuel pump.

Examination of the q-tip propeller assembly revealed that one blade was straight and relatively undamaged; only the tip was curled aft. The second blade was twisted 90°. The third blade was relatively undamaged but had scratches and scuff marks on the cambered surface.

According to the company that provided fuel at FWS, there was no evidence the pilot purchased fuel on the day of the accident. The last evidence that the pilot fueled the airplane was on April 30, 2020, about 1453 in Granbury, Texas; 36.5 gallons were purchased. The pilot made four flights after fueling, totaling about 1 hour 13 minutes.

The Office of Chief Medical Examiner, Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s District, Fort Worth, Texas, performed an autopsy on the pilot and listed the cause of death as “thermal injuries and smoke inhalation.” Toxicological screening by the Federal Aviation Administration’s Forensic Sciences Laboratory revealed an 11% carboxyhemoglobin saturation in blood (heart); quinine and amlodipine were detected in urine and blood (femoral).