OpenAirDocs.org

19961112040379I

Incident · Minor damage
Open the Markdown

FAA incident report · Cessna T210M · Coalinga, CA · November 12, 1996

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
November 12, 1996 · 10:49 local
Place
Coalinga, CA
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N732LR
Reported as
Cessna T210M
Reported engine
Continental TSIO520R
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,800 total1,200 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Narrative: on November 11, 1996, at approximately 2:30 p.m. PST, a Cessna T210M, N732LR, registered to and flown by john h. horak, was over Coalinga, CA. At approximately 8,000 feet, when he heard a loud bang and felt it on the aircraft. At this time, fuel fumes and smoke started to come into the cockpit, and oil streaks appeared on the windshield. The pilot reacted by shutting off the fuel flow at the main selector valve and then calling the oakland center to notify them of his emergency. The pilot informed oakland center that he could not fly to an alternate airport and that he was being forced to land immediately because his engine was seized up. The pilot landed in the same direction of the flow of traffic on interstate 5. An uneventful landing was made without further incident. No injuries were incurred by pilot or passengers. No damage occurred to the aircraft. The investigation revealed that the no. 4 cylinder lower connecting rod journal had failed. Severe damage to the engine case was evident. Engine oil was present throughout the engine compartment, on the windshield, and on the outside of the engine cowlings. This incident investigation is closed.

As the FAA filed it

NARRATIVE: ON NOVEMBER 11, 1996, AT APPROXIMATELY 2:30 P.M. PST, A CESSNA T210M, N732LR, REGISTERED TO AND FLOWN BY JOHN H. HORAK, WAS OVER COALINGA, CA. AT APPROXIMATELY 8,000 FEET, WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD BANG AND FELT IT ON THE AIRCRAFT. AT THIS TIME, FUEL FUMES AND SMOKE STARTED TO COME INTO THE COCKPIT, AND OIL STREAKS APPEARED ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE PILOT REACTED BY SHUTTING OFF THE FUEL FLOW AT THE MAIN SELECTOR VALVE AND THEN CALLING THE OAKLAND CENTER TO NOTIFY THEM OF HIS EMERGENCY. THE PILOT INFORMED OAKLAND CENTER THAT HE COULD NOT FLY TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT AND THAT HE WAS BEING FORCED TO LAND IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE HIS ENGINE WAS SEIZED UP. THE PILOT LANDED IN THE SAME DIRECTION OF THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC ON INTERSTATE 5. AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING WAS MADE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. NO INJURIES WERE INCURRED BY PILOT OR PASSENGERS. NO DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE NO. 4 CYLINDER LOWER CONNECTING ROD JOURNAL HAD FAILED. SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE CASE WAS EVIDENT. ENGINE OIL WAS PRESENT THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, ON THE WINDSHIELD, AND ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ENGINE COWLINGS. THIS INCIDENT INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.