# Accident 19990819043359A: Cessna T210L, Byron, CA, August 19, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 19, 1999, 19:05 local time - Place: Byron, CA - Airport: Byron Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: AWFA - Location: 37.8494° N, 121.6208° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.8494&lon=-121.6208&mi=10 - Aircraft: N5378V (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA T210L - Reported engine: CONT TSIO520H - People aboard: 6 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 8,205 total, 668 in this make and model, 148 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA277](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA277) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990819043359A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.4)THE PILOT SAID THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN LEVEL CRUISE AT 6,500 FEET MSL WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT WITHOUT WARNING. THE PILOT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND TURNED ON THE ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP, WHICH RESTORED FUEL FLOW ON THE GAGE, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESTART. COINCIDENT WITH THE LOSS OF POWER, THE PILOT HEARD A 'POP' SOUND COME FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE PILOT SELECTED AN OPEN FIELD AND CONTINUED TO ATTEMPT A RESTART AS HE PREPARED FOR THE OFF-AIRPORT LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN IN THE FIELD AND ROLLED SOME DISTANCE BEFORE THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. DURING THE TEARDOWN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE, ALL CYLINDER BASES AND THROUGH BOLT STUDS EXHIBITED EVIDENCE OF OIL LEAKAGE. DURING REMOVAL OF THE CYLINDERS, ALL THROUGH BOLT AND CYLINDER HOLD DOWN STUD NUTS WERE LOOSE ENOUGH TO BREAK TORQUE WITH ONE HAND USING A SHORT OPEN-END WRENCH. REMOVAL OF THE CYLINDERS REVEALED FRETTED CYLINDER BASES AND PADS. SEPARATION OF THE CASE HALVES REVEALED FRETTING ON ALL CYLINDER PADS AND BEARING SADDLE-PARTING SURFACES, WITH MORE FRETTING OBSERVED ON THE NO. 2 MAIN BEARING SADDLE SURFACES. THE NO. 2 MAIN BEARING WAS FRAGMENTED AND FOUND IN THE OIL SUMP, WITH EROSION AND SMEARING EVIDENT T O THE BEARING SADDLE. THE CRANKSHAFT WAS FRACTURED ACROSS THE NO. 3 SHORT CHEEK, WITH HEAVY SCORING EVIDENT TO THE NO.2 AND 3 MAIN JOURNALS. REVIEW OF THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS DISCLOSED THAT CYLINDERS 1, 2, 4, 5, AND 6 WERE REPLACED ON MARCH 24, 1997, 232 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. (-23)PIC, ^PRIVACY DATA^, CONDUCTED A FORCED LANDING DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE. N5378V, A CESSNA CE-210-T210, WAS ENROUTE FROM PINE MOUNTAIN AIRPORT TO CONCORD. WHEN HIS ENGINE BEGAN TO STALL, ^PRIVACY DA^ ADVISED CCR, WHO RECOMMENDED LANDING AT BYRON AIRPORT. ^PRIVACY DA^ ATTEMPTED RE-STARTING THE ENGINE, AND WHEN THAT WAS SUCCESSFUL HE LANDED IN A FIELD 1/2 MILE SOUTH OF CAMINO DIABLO, AND WEST OF MCABE ROAD, IN BYRON, CA. THERE WAS NO FIRE AND NO INJURIES. EVIDENT DURING ENGINE TEARDOWN INSPECTION WAS THE FAILURE OF NUMBER 2 BEARING, CAUSING CRANKSHAFT FAILURE AND CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE ENGINE. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB LAX99LA277](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA277), Aug 20, 1999: Cessna T210L (N5378V), Byron, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the operator's maintenance personnel to properly torque the cylinder and engine case through bolts during the replacement of five cylinders, which led to the spinning of the No. 2 main… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.