Cirrus SR22 N879CD

Summary

On 13 January 2022 at about 18:26 local time, a Cirrus SR22 registered N879CD was involved in an accident near Lexington, South Carolina, 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

13 January 2022 at 18:26

Classification

Accident

Location

Lexington, South Carolina, United States

Coordinates

34.0257, -81.3754

Aircraft

Cirrus SR22

Registration

N879CD

Category

Airplane

Year built

2002

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Greenville → Charleston

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA22LA109

Nobody was injured.

A loss of engine power due to a shift of the No. 3 main journal bearing, which resulted in blocked oil ports that restricted oil to the engine’s internal components and a subsequent catastrophic engine failure.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during cruise flight the oil annunciator light illuminated, the oil pressure decreased to zero, and the engine tachometer neared its maximum limit. Soon thereafter, the engine lost power. During the forced landing, the pilot activated the whole airplane parachute system at an altitude of about 2,000 ft above ground level. The airplane descended via the parachute and landed upright in a lake. The pilot and passenger were able to swim to shore and were not injured. The airplane’s fuselage and left elevator were substantially damaged during the landing. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that all of the crankshaft connecting rod journals showed evidence of lubrication distress. Additionally, the No. 3 main journal bearing shifted, resulting in the blockage of the oil ports and elongation of the crankcase lock slot. The No. 6 connecting rod bearing was fused to the crankshaft journal. The No. 1 cylinder rod bearings were fused together on the crankshaft, and the bearing surface was smeared and torn. The bearing metal melted and re-solidified along the edges. It is likely that the shift of the No. 3 main journal bearing blocked the oil port and restricted oil to the engine and propeller, resulting in destruction of the bearing of the No. 6 cylinder. This likely resulted in the fracture of the connecting rod, breach of the crankcase, and the catastrophic failure of the engine. The engine overspeed reported by the pilot is consistent with a loss of oil pressure to the propeller governor, which would have lowered the blade pitch and increased engine rpm. Review of maintenance logbook records revealed the No. 2 cylinder was replaced about 500 hours before the accident flight, at which time the engine had accumulated about 2,420 hrs. It is possible that the crankcase thru bolts were incorrectly torqued after the No. 2 cylinder change about 500 hours before the accident flight, which could have resulted in a shift of the No. 3 main journal bearing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.