Cessna 210K N8274M

Summary

On 19 March 1998 at about 22:50 local time, a Cessna 210K registered N8274M, operated by Fallon Airmotive Inc., was involved in an accident near Fallon, Nevada, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 March 1998 at 22:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Fallon, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Private Strip

Coordinates

39.5002, -118.2910

Aircraft

Cessna 210K

Registration

N8274M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Fallon Airmotive Inc.

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX98LA124

Nobody was injured.

The aircraft owner/pilot's improper assembly of the engine oil pump, which resulted in failure of the unit and oil starvation failure of the engine. A factor was the lack of supervision of the owner/pilot's work by the A & P mechanic.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the initial takeoff climb, the pilot reduced power and the rpm's dropped to zero, but there was no sound change in the engine. The pilot attempted to return to the airport for a precautionary landing. During the turn back to the airport, the engine began to run rough. The pilot was unable to make the runway and made an off-airport emergency landing and collided with ground obstructions. A post-accident investigation revealed an oil starvation failure of the engine. The oil pump's drive gear shaft had failed in torsional overload. Examination of the oil pump's driven gear revealed that the required bronze bushings between it and the driven gear shaft were absent. It was noted that the engine was overhauled 162 hours prior to the accident. During the engine overhaul, the oil pump was sent out for overhaul and was returned to the owner as a disassembled unit. The owner/pilot, who was not a certified A & P mechanic, reassembled the oil pump and reinstalled it on the airplane. A certified A & P mechanic reported that he did sign the logbook to this affect, but he did not monitor or inspect the work that had been completed by the owner.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.