Cessna 210 N5779J

Summary

On 21 November 2021 at about 14:26 local time, a Cessna 210 registered N5779J, operated by Beavers Air LLC, was involved in an accident near Brent, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 November 2021 at 14:26

Classification

Accident

Location

Brent, Alabama, United States

Coordinates

32.9275, -87.1852

Aircraft

Cessna 210

Registration

N5779J

Category

Airplane

Year built

1971

Engines

1

Operator

Beavers Air LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tuscaloosa → Baker

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA22LA071

1 person had minor injuries.

The inadequate maintenance of the oil filter adapter, which resulted in in an engine oil leak and subsequent loss engine oil pressure, and the subsequent off-airport landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During cruise flight, the pilot noticed a drop in engine oil pressure and turned toward the closest airport. The pilot subsequently elected to perform a precautionary off-airport landing during which the airplane sustained substantial damage. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that it was equipped with a screw-on oil filter adapter. Oil seepage was found on the area surrounding the oil filter adapter attachment point, in the engine compartment, and on the underside of the fuselage. Examination of the adapter found its tightening torque to be 38.5 ft-lbs, which was below the prescribed installation torque of 65 ft-lbs. Additionally, the adapter was found installed with the originally specified fiber gasket, which the manufacturer had subsequently advised to remove and replace with a copper gasket in a mandatory service bulletin. The fiber gasket was found torn and indented. It is likely that the loose adapter and the torn fiber gasket allowed the engine oil to be pumped overboard. This ultimately resulted in the loss of oil pressure and the pilot’s decision to perform the precautionary off-airport landing. It is likely that had the mandatory service bulletin been complied with, the loss of oil pressure would not have occurred.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.