# Accident 20010614014289A: Cessna 210L, Key West, FL, June 14, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 14, 2001, 10:37 local time - Place: Key West, FL - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Climb - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 24.5491° N, 81.7810° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=24.5491&lon=-81.7810&mi=10 - Aircraft: N2117S (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 210L - Reported engine: CONT IO520L - People aboard: 4 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 2,900 total, 530 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA01LA168](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA168) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010614014289A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19)ON JUNE 14, 2001, ABOUT 1037 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 210L, N2117S, REGISTERED TO FLYTE AIR CORPORATION, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND WAS DITCHED NEAR KEY WEST, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT, AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED ABOUT 5 MINUTES EARLIER FROM THE KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, KEY WEST, FLORIDA. THE PILOT STATED THAT SHE PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT TO THE AIRPLANE; THE OIL CAPACITY WAS 9 QUARTS. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED EITHER DURING THE PREFLIGHT OR DURING THE ENGINE RUN-UP. AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE FLYING AT 700 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL), SHE REDUCED THE RPM AND MANIFOLD PRESSURE TO 2,500 AND 25 INCHES RESPECTIVELY. WHILE TURNING TOWARDS THE TADPO INTERSECTION SHE HEARD A LOUD BANG. SHE CONTIUNUED THE TURN AND ESTABLISHED 85 KNOTS AND DECLARED A "MAYDAY." THE RPM AND OIL PRESSURE GAUGES INDICATED ZERO BUT THE PROPELLER CONTINUED TO ROTATE. THE DOORS WERE OPENED AND THE PASSENGERS WERE ADVISED TO "BRACE" BEFORE DITCHING. AFTER THE DITCHING, SHE GOT HER DAUGHTER WHO WAS ONE OF THE PASSENGERS OUT OF THE AIRPLANE AND SHE BELIEVES THAT THE OTHER ADULT PASSENGER ASSISTED THE OTHER TWO PASSENGERS OUT OF THE AIRPLANE. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT WAS FRACTURED JUST AFT OF THE NO. 2 MAIN BEARING; MAIN BEARING PIECES WERE FOUND IN THE OIL SUMP. ADDITIONALLY, ONE OF THE BOLTS OF THE NO. 2 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD WAS FRACTURED NEAR THE BOLT HEAD. (-23) ON JUNE 14, 2001, ABOUT 1437Z, A CESSNA CENTURION 210L, N2117S, REGISTERED TO FLYTE AIR CORPORATION, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND WAS DITCHED 2 MILES SOUTH EAST OF KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL (KEYW). VMC PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND A INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAND WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT, AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURY TO HER KNEE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED ABOUT 5 MINUTES EARLIER FROM THE KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KEYW) TO OWEN ROBERTS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MWCR). THE PILOT STATED THAT SHE PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT TO THE AIRPLANE, ADDED A QUART OF OIL AND NOTED NO OTHER DISCREPANCIES TO THE PREFLIGHTOR DURING RUN-UP. AFTER TAKEOFF CLIMBING THREE 700 MS SHE REDUCED THE RPM AND MANIFOLD PRESSURE TO 2,500 AND 25 INCHES RESPECTIVELY. WHILE TURNING TOWARD THE NEXT FIX (TADPO) SHE HEARD A LOUD BANG. SHE CONTINUED TO TURN, ESTABLISHED 85 KNOTS ATTITUDE AND DECLARED A "MAYDAY". DITCHED AIRCRAFT 2 MILES SE OF RWY. (.4) NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED DURING THE PREFLIGHT; THE OIL CAPACITY WAS 9 QUARTS. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS NO REPORT OF AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION EITHER DURING ENGINE START, TAXI, OR DURING THE ENGINE RUN-UP BEFORE TAKEOFF. AFTER TAKEOFF FOLLOWING THE FIRST POWER REDUCTION, THE PILOT LATER REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD BANG, AND THE RPM INDICATED ZERO THOUGH THE PROPELLER WAS ROTATING. UNABLE TO RETURN, SHE DITCHED THE AIRPLANE AND ALL OCCUPANTS ESCAPED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO CRANKSHAFT CONTINUITY TO THE ACCESSORY SECTION. DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT WAS FRACTURED AT THE NO. 3 CRANKSHAFT CHEEK; METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED FATIGUE. THERE WAS NO BEARING IN THE NO. 2 MAIN BEARING POSITION IN THE CRANKCASES, PIECES OF IT WERE FOUND IN THE OIL SUMP. ADDITIONALLY, A BOLT FOR THE NO. 2 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD WAS FRACTURED NEAR THE BOLT HEAD. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE BEARING PIECES AND OF THE FRACTURED CONNECTING ROD BOLT REVEALED OVERSTRESS ON THE UNDAMAGED FRACTURE SURFACES, AND FEATURES CONSISTENT WITH BENDING SHEAR SEPARATION, RESPECTIVELY. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE CRANKCASE HALVES REVEALED BROWN TO BLACK DEPOSISTS AT ALL CYLINDER MOUNTING SURFACES; THE DEPOSITS ARE CONSISTENT WITH CORROSION AND FRETTING PRODUCTS. ADDITIONALLY, FRETTING AND POLISHING WERE NOTED IN SEVERAL AREAS OF BOTH CRANKCASE HALVES. THE NO. 2 MAIN BEARING SADDLE AREA WAS NOTED TO BE, "...SEVERELY DAMAGED WITH LARGE ROLLED EDGES FORMED AT THE FORWARD AND REAR EDGES...." THE ENGINE WAS REBUILT BY TELEDYNE CONTINENTAL MOTORS, ON AUGUST 23, 1988, AND INSTALLED IN THE AIRPLANE ON OCTOBER 1, 1988. ALL CYLINDERS WERE OVERHAULED AND INSTALLED ON THE ENGINE ON NOVEMBER 25, 1994; AT THAT TIME THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED A TOTAL TIME OF APPROXIMATELY 986 HOURS SINCE MAJOR OVERHAUL. BETWEEN OCTOBER 1, 1988, AND NOVEMBER 25, 1994, OIL SAMPLES FOR ANALYSIS WERE TAKEN 10 TIMES; THE OIL ANALYSIS REPORTS WERE NOT LOCATED IN THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS AND WERE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE FACILITY THAT PERFORMED THE ANALYSIS. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF THE REPAIR AND/OR REPLACEMENT OF THE NOS. 2 OR 3 CYLINDERS BETWEEN THE TIME THE OVERHAULED CYLINDERS WERE INSTALLED IN 1994, AND THE LAST ENTRY IN THE LOGBOOK WHICH WAS DATED MARCH 6, 2001. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED APPROXIMATELY 548 HOURS SINCE THE OVERHAULED CYLINDERS WERE INSTALLED. ## 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 MIA01LA168](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA168), Jun 14, 2001: Cessna 210L (N2117S), Key West, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The improper installation of the cylinders by other maintenance personnel for failure to assure that the cylinders were properly torqued resulting in fatigue crack in the crankshaft, and crankshaft… 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.