C210 pilot has fuel starvation; diverts to nearest airport and lands.

Attributes
ACN	694569
Time
Date	200604
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C 210D
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 38 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 1982
ASRS Report	694569
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

At FL210; the engine lost power. I thought the turbocharger had failed. I informed ATC of the situation and asked for an immediate descent to 12000 ft. After setting up the descent; I checked the nearest airport on the GPS; ZZZ was 10 mi straight ahead. Once at 12000 ft; I could not restart the engine. An emergency was declared and EMS on the ground notified. At somewhere between 8000-10000 ft; I was on top ZZZ. I spiraled down to an uneventful landing. On the ground there was no evidence of catastrophic oil loss. Then I thought about fuel exhaustion. I checked the gauges on the ground and they indicated empty. The plane was fueled; run up and test flown around the pattern; then we continued our trip. The plane had 2 hours 30 mins of fuel remaining before this flight. I asked the line crew to top off the tanks before departure that morning. On the preflight I checked the gas gauges and noted they showed full. I did not visually check the tanks.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C210 PLT HAS FUEL STARVATION; DIVERTS TO NEAREST ARPT AND LANDS.

Narrative: AT FL210; THE ENG LOST PWR. I THOUGHT THE TURBOCHARGER HAD FAILED. I INFORMED ATC OF THE SITUATION AND ASKED FOR AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO 12000 FT. AFTER SETTING UP THE DSCNT; I CHKED THE NEAREST ARPT ON THE GPS; ZZZ WAS 10 MI STRAIGHT AHEAD. ONCE AT 12000 FT; I COULD NOT RESTART THE ENG. AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND EMS ON THE GND NOTIFIED. AT SOMEWHERE BTWN 8000-10000 FT; I WAS ON TOP ZZZ. I SPIRALED DOWN TO AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. ON THE GND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF CATASTROPHIC OIL LOSS. THEN I THOUGHT ABOUT FUEL EXHAUSTION. I CHKED THE GAUGES ON THE GND AND THEY INDICATED EMPTY. THE PLANE WAS FUELED; RUN UP AND TEST FLOWN AROUND THE PATTERN; THEN WE CONTINUED OUR TRIP. THE PLANE HAD 2 HRS 30 MINS OF FUEL REMAINING BEFORE THIS FLT. I ASKED THE LINE CREW TO TOP OFF THE TANKS BEFORE DEP THAT MORNING. ON THE PREFLT I CHKED THE GAS GAUGES AND NOTED THEY SHOWED FULL. I DID NOT VISUALLY CHK THE TANKS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.