Cessna T210N N6483C

Summary

On 9 July 1992 at about 14:50 local time, a Cessna T210N registered N6483C, operated by Edward Curtis, was involved in an accident near Superior, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 July 1992 at 14:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Superior, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Superior (E81)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna T210N

Registration

N6483C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Edward Curtis

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Safford → Phoenix

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX92FA289

1 person died.

AN INADEQUATE MAJOR ENGINE OVERHAUL PROCEDURE, DURING WHICH PREVIOUS CRANKSHAFT DAMAGE WAS NOT DETECTED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A SURFACE INITIATED FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS ON A CROSS COUNTRY BUSINESS FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING ABOUT 250 FEET SHORT OF A DIRT AIRSTRIP. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT AND A POST IMPACT FIRE, AND THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A BROKEN CRANKSHAFT ON THE CRANKCHEEK ADJACENT TO THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER. THE CRANKSHAFT HAD BEEN REPLACED 42 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE CRANKSHAFT WAS SUPPLIED FROM AN ENGINE WITH AN ACCUMULATED TOTAL TIME OF ABOUT 1,000 HOURS OF OPERATION THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY SUSTAINED A SEPARATION OF THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER FROM THE ENGINE CASE. AFTER AN INSPECTION, THE CRANKSHAFT WAS DETERMINED TO BE SERVICEABLE AND INSTALLED IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE'S ENGINE. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED A HIGH CYCLE FATIGUE FAILURE CONSISTENT WITH SURFACE INITIATED CRACKING. A METALLURGICAL REPORT INDICATED THAT SURFACE CRACKING WOULD NOT BE EXPECTED IN THE AREA OF FAILURE UNLESS PRIOR DAMAGE TO THE SURFACE HAD OCCURRED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.