Ditching involving a Cessna 210L, VH-APS, Bickerton Island, Northern Territory, on 5 October 1994

The aircraft took-off normally but climbing through about 400 ft it suffered a sudden, complete engine failure. The pilot carried out emergency procedure checks, which included changing from the left fuel tank to the right, but when this failed to immediately restore power he changed back to the left tank and pumped the throttle vigorously without success. The pilot then carried out a forced landing into the sea adjacent to the shore. All occupants evacuated the aircraft uninjured.

The aircraft had been refuelled the previous day to its maximum capacity of 330 litres and then flew for 2.3 hours. The pilot then dipped the fuel tanks which showed 170 litres of fuel remaining. The next morning, he did not recheck the fuel quantity using the dip stick but relied on the fuel gauge readings which at times are inaccurate. These indicated 40 litres in the left tank and 80 litres in the right. The aircraft then flew for another .6 of an hour using the left tank. The engine failed during the next take-off.

An inspection of the aircraft revealed that the right tank contained fuel, but the left tank was empty. The fuel consumption rate was advised as being 70 litres/hour.

The pilot had not selected the tank which indicated the greater quantity of fuel for take-off, and when the engine failed he changed from the left tank to the right, but did not wait long enough for air to expel from the engine fuel feed line to allow resumption of fuel flow from the right tank to the engine. Pumping the throttle would not have had any effect on regaining power as the engine is fuel injected.