19980529028599I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Mooney M20F · Escondido, CA · May 29, 1998

Date: May 29, 1998 · 13:30 local
Place: Escondido, CA
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N6414Q
Reported as: Mooney M20F
Reported engine: Lycoming IO360A1A
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,010 total775 in this make and model35 in the last 90 days

N6414QRegistered now · Mooney M20FS/N 670493 · Built 1967 Airframe modelMooney M20F Engine modelLycoming I0360 seriesReciprocating

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.

After departure from el cajon, CA (see), enroute to santa monica, the engine seized during cruise at 2500-3000FT. The pilot reported that the engine vibrated for 5-10 seconds before it stopped and that he did no check engine gauge indications. He diverted to ramona, CA but didn't make it and landed in a dirt field on a sod farm, bending one blade of the propeller in the soft dirt. The aircraft roller up onto sod and the only damage to the aircraft appeared to be the bent propeller blade. When ckecked after landing, the engine oil level was normal and there didn't appear to be any oil leaking. The propeller could not be turned but there did not appear to be any external damage to the engine. At engine teardown, the crankshaft was found broken at the forward side of the #4 cylinder connecting rod journal.

As the FAA filed it

AFTER DEPARTURE FROM EL CAJON, CA (SEE), ENROUTE TO SANTA MONICA, THE ENGINE SEIZED DURING CRUISE AT 2500-3000FT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE VIBRATED FOR 5-10 SECONDS BEFORE IT STOPPED AND THAT HE DID NO CHECK ENGINE GAUGE INDICATIONS. HE DIVERTED TO RAMONA, CA BUT DIDN'T MAKE IT AND LANDED IN A DIRT FIELD ON A SOD FARM, BENDING ONE BLADE OF THE PROPELLER IN THE SOFT DIRT. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLER UP ONTO SOD AND THE ONLY DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE THE BENT PROPELLER BLADE. WHEN CKECKED AFTER LANDING, THE ENGINE OIL LEVEL WAS NORMAL AND THERE DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE ANY OIL LEAKING. THE PROPELLER COULD NOT BE TURNED BUT THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. AT ENGINE TEARDOWN, THE CRANKSHAFT WAS FOUND BROKEN AT THE FORWARD SIDE OF THE #4 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD JOURNAL.