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19990620016769I

Incident
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FAA incident report · Cessna 210A · Tonopah, NV · June 20, 1999

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 20, 1999 · 16:00 local
Place
Tonopah, NV
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Aircraft
N349CP
Reported as
Cessna 210A
Reported engine
Continental IO470*
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
193 total128 in this make and model42 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.

During cruise at 16,000 MSL enroute to tooele, ut (tvy), pilot felt/heard pop from engine with shuddering and smoke. Loss of power with no/very low oil pressure. Shut down engine, precautionary landing on dirt road approx 15 miles southwest of Tonopah, NV (tph) VORTAC on the 217 radial. Asi's on site inspection on June 23, 1999 at tph showed engine damage consisted of #1 cylinder with approx 1.5 inch hole and the #2 cylinder with an approx 3 inch hole punched thru the top case by the connecting rods. L/h magneto was broken off at attach point. Oil dipstick showed sufficient oil quantity. Pilots staement taken by phone indicated engine had been overhauled approx 140 hours prior to failure. On 7/8/99 pilot reported by phone that during engine teardown conducted by himself with no witnesses present, upon removal of the oil pan, he found pieces of a paper shop towel blocking oil pickup strainer. Oil changes performed prior to failure showed no evidence of possible contamination. Oil screen normal.

As the FAA filed it

DURING CRUISE AT 16,000 MSL ENROUTE TO TOOELE, UT (TVY), PILOT FELT/HEARD POP FROM ENGINE WITH SHUDDERING AND SMOKE. LOSS OF POWER WITH NO/VERY LOW OIL PRESSURE. SHUT DOWN ENGINE, PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON DIRT ROAD APPROX 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF TONOPAH, NV (TPH) VORTAC ON THE 217 RADIAL. ASI'S ON SITE INSPECTION ON JUNE 23, 1999 AT TPH SHOWED ENGINE DAMAGE CONSISTED OF #1 CYLINDER WITH APPROX 1.5 INCH HOLE AND THE #2 CYLINDER WITH AN APPROX 3 INCH HOLE PUNCHED THRU THE TOP CASE BY THE CONNECTING RODS. L/H MAGNETO WAS BROKEN OFF AT ATTACH POINT. OIL DIPSTICK SHOWED SUFFICIENT OIL QUANTITY. PILOTS STAEMENT TAKEN BY PHONE INDICATED ENGINE HAD BEEN OVERHAULED APPROX 140 HOURS PRIOR TO FAILURE. ON 7/8/99 PILOT REPORTED BY PHONE THAT DURING ENGINE TEARDOWN CONDUCTED BY HIMSELF WITH NO WITNESSES PRESENT, UPON REMOVAL OF THE OIL PAN, HE FOUND PIECES OF A PAPER SHOP TOWEL BLOCKING OIL PICKUP STRAINER. OIL CHANGES PERFORMED PRIOR TO FAILURE SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF POSSIBLE CONTAMINATION. OIL SCREEN NORMAL.