Cessna 206 N5019U

Summary

On 10 April 2004 at about 14:30 local time, a Cessna 206 registered N5019U was involved in an accident near Clewiston, Florida, United States. 2 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

10 April 2004 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Clewiston, Florida, United States

Coordinates

26.2767, -80.8556

Aircraft

Cessna 206

Registration

N5019U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marathon → Vero Beach

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA04LA067

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the No. 2 cylinder connecting rod for undetermined reasons, and the failure of one of the connecting rod bolts due to tension overload resulting in the total loss of engine power and subsequent collision with a ditch during the forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that after takeoff the flight climbed to 7,500 feet mean sea level (msl) and approximately 40-45 minutes into the flight, the engine started shaking. He repositioned the fuel selector, and the shaking decreased slightly. The flight continued and the shaking continued. He spiraled down to 3,500 feet msl, and the shaking became worse. He glanced at the cylinder head temperature gauge, and oil pressure and temperature gauges, and reported that at that time all were in the green. He looked for a place to land and due to cars on a nearby roadway, landed in a ditch adjacent to the road. Examination of the engine by a representative of the engine manufacturer with FAA oversight revealed that the No. 2 cylinder connecting rod and one of the connecting rod bolts were fractured. The other connecting rod bolt was not fractured and remained secured to the connecting rod cap and section of connecting rod. Additionally, the No. 2 crankpin was dry but not heat discolored, and the oil port for the No. 2 crankpin was free of obstructions. Metallurgical examination of the fractured components by the NTSB Materials Laboratory located in Washington, D.C., revealed the fracture surface of the connecting rod bolt exhibited features consistent with tensile overstress. The bolt was determined to meet specification related to hardness. Mechanical damage to the fracture surface of the connecting rod precluded determination of failure mode. Review of the maintenance records revealed the engine was last overhauled on March 29, 1977, and installed in the accident airplane on April 15, 1977. The engine was disassembled, inspected, and reassembled on July 15, 1977, or approximately 50.0 hours since the overhaul in March of that year. The engine was installed in the airplane, test run, and found to be airworthy. Cylinders 1, 4, and 6 were removed and replaced on April 4, 1981. The engine had accumulated approximately 1,652 hours since last overhaul at the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.