What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: on Sunday, 4-13-97, the pilot and his son took-off from Chandler airport to do some local flying. A few minutes into the flight the engine began to shudder and the manifold pressure dropped to 18-20 hg. The pilot started a 180 degree turn from his outbound vector from P10 and called Chandler tower to report the problem. A few seconds later the engine began shaking and there was a loud "bang". The engine then seized completely, prop in the vertical position. The pilot set up a glide angle, call Chandler tower, and proceeded to make an emergency landing in a cleared field. The airplane was not damaged, however upon preliminary examination of the Continental engine, it appears that a crankshaft counterweight failed and separated internally causing extensive damage to the engine; including, cracking the entire crankcase circumferentially in the aft end. Note: this aircraft is equipped with long range fuel tanks.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: ON SUNDAY, 4-13-97, THE PILOT AND HIS SON TOOK-OFF FROM CHANDLER AIRPORT TO DO SOME LOCAL FLYING. A FEW MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SHUDDER AND THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE DROPPED TO 18-20 HG. THE PILOT STARTED A 180 DEGREE TURN FROM HIS OUTBOUND VECTOR FROM P10 AND CALLED CHANDLER TOWER TO REPORT THE PROBLEM. A FEW SECONDS LATER THE ENGINE BEGAN SHAKING AND THERE WAS A LOUD "BANG". THE ENGINE THEN SEIZED COMPLETELY, PROP IN THE VERTICAL POSITION. THE PILOT SET UP A GLIDE ANGLE, CALL CHANDLER TOWER, AND PROCEEDED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A CLEARED FIELD. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT DAMAGED, HOWEVER UPON PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF THE CONTINENTAL ENGINE, IT APPEARS THAT A CRANKSHAFT COUNTERWEIGHT FAILED AND SEPARATED INTERNALLY CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE; INCLUDING, CRACKING THE ENTIRE CRANKCASE CIRCUMFERENTIALLY IN THE AFT END. NOTE: THIS AIRCRAFT IS EQUIPPED WITH LONG RANGE FUEL TANKS.
Other reports on N2575X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.