Event CHI94LA075

Factual narrative

On January 31, 1994, at 1632 central standard time, a Cessna model 210 airplane, N810BP, sustained substantial damage following a reported loss of engine power while on final approach to runway 26L at Spirit of Saint Louis Airport, Chesterfield, Missouri. The airplane landed in a field approximately 700' short of the 7,000' long runway and nosed over. The private pilot/owner received minor injury; the other occupant, the pilot in command and Certificated Flight Instructor(CFI), received serious injuries. The local flight operated without a flight plan in visual meteorological conditions under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the owner's statement, the airplane lost total engine power while on final approach to land. In an attempt to restart the engine, the CFI switched to the left fuel tank, and pumped the throttle, but the engine would not restart. Postaccident inspection of the airplane was unable to determine what amount of fuel was aboard at the time of the accident due to leakage and rupture of the right tank. The owner reported 90 gallons of fuel was aboard when the airplane departed for the three and one-half hour flight. The engine was removed from the airplane and mounted on a test stand for running. In preparation for the test run, substitute fuel and oil lines were utilized. The engine started and ran without any observed anomalies. THE PASSENGER/OWNER ABOARD THE AIRPLANE REPORTED THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LANDING. HE SAID THE PIC SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND PUMPED THE THROTTLE IN AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED FROM THE AIRPLANE AND PLACED ON A TEST STAND WHERE IT STARTED AND RAN WITHOUT ANY OBSERVED ANOMALIES. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 700' SHORT OF THE 7,000' RUNWAY. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12