Cirrus SR22T N773GB

Summary

On 31 December 2023 at about 19:15 local time, a Cirrus SR22T registered N773GB was involved in an accident near Davenport, Iowa, 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

31 December 2023 at 19:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Davenport, Iowa, United States

Nearest airport

Davenport Muni (DVN)

Coordinates

41.6103, -90.5884

Aircraft

Cirrus SR22T

Registration

N773GB

Category

Airplane

Year built

2014

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tullahoma → Davenport

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN24LA079

Nobody was injured.

The fatigue failure of the No. 5 cylinder head, which resulted in a total loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the maintenance which did not fully blend to the depth necessary to preclude the failure.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, as he descended toward the airport to land, smoke came from the engine cowling and oil splattered over the windscreen. The engine lost all power and the pilot executed a forced landing to a corn field. During the forced landing the airplane’s landing gear collapsed and both wings sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 5 cylinder fractured, which resulted in the engine’s lubricating oil being pumped outside of the cylinder. Examination of the fracture surface of the accident cylinder showed fracture features consistent with high-cycle fatigue. The cylinder was subject to FAA Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2020-16-11, which required compliance with the manufacturer’s Mandatory Service Bulletin (MSB)18-08. The MSB required blending of the cylinder casting in the area where the fracture originated. The cylinder had evidence of work consistent with compliance with the MSB. The blending on the cylinder from the accident aircraft spanned the entire outboard edge but did not extend the full 0.25 inches indicated in the MSB. The loss of engine power was likely due to the fatigue fracture of the exhaust rocker arm support area of the No. 5 cylinder head, which allowed the engine’s lubricating oil to be pumped outside the cylinder. The loss of lubrication resulted in catastrophic failure of other engine components.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.