Rockwell 112A N509CA

Summary

On 12 October 2016 at about 17:11 local time, a Rockwell 112A registered N509CA, operated by SHO Co Kids LLC, was involved in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 October 2016 at 17:11

Classification

Accident

Location

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Phoenix Deer Valley (DVT)

Coordinates

33.6978, -112.1528

Aircraft

Rockwell 112A

Registration

N509CA

Category

Airplane

Year built

1975

Engines

1

Operator

SHO Co Kids LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mesa → Lake Havasu City

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR17LA004

2 people were seriously injured.

A catastrophic engine failure due to lack of lubrication due to the absence of 2 piston cooling nozzles that backed out of their respective threaded bores, which resulted in a forced landing on unsuitable terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to air traffic control transcripts, about 17 minutes after the private pilot departed for a personal, cross-country flight and immediately after being cleared to climb to 10,500 ft mean sea level (msl), the pilot advised an air traffic controller that the engine oil temperature was “running a little hot” and that he needed to level off at 7,500 ft msl to “cool off.” About 7 minutes later, the pilot repeated that the engine temperature was running high and requested a return to the departure airport but stated that he did not want to declare an emergency. The controller provided the pilot with information for an airport closer to the airplane’s position for a diversionary landing. Although a controller at that airport issued the pilot a straight-in approach, the pilot responded that the engine had lost power and that he was going to have to land because the airplane could not reach the airport. Subsequently, the pilot attempted to conduct a forced landing on a nearby road, but the airplane impacted terrain in a train yard and came to rest between trees and a wooden structure substantially damaging the airframe and wings. During a postaccident examination of the engine, a hole was found in the engine case at the No. 4 cylinder, and metal debris was found throughout the engine, indicative of a catastrophic engine failure. The No. 4 connecting rod bearing had extruded and exhibited signatures consistent with a lack of lubrication, which likely led to the catastrophic engine failure. The Nos 2 and 4 piston cooling nozzles were absent from their respective threaded bore in the crankcase; they were identified in the oil sump and had sustained destructive damage as a result of passage through the engines internal rotating components. The threaded nozzle bores for the Nos 2 and 4 piston cooling nozzles were not damaged. The No. 1 cooling nozzle remained tight and in place, and the No. 3 cooling nozzle remained in place, but was loose and rotated a quarter of a turn before it became tight. It is likely that the absence of the Nos 2 and 4 piston cooling nozzles would have an effect on the engine lubricating oil effectiveness to the internal rotating components of the engine during operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.