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20020924025579I

Incident
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FAA incident report · Cessna P210N · Gadsden, AL · September 24, 2002

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 24, 2002 · 12:00 local
Place
Gadsden, AL
Airport
Gadsden Municipal
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Aircraft
N236P
Reported as
Cessna P210N
Reported engine
Continental TSIO520*
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
5,000 total500 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days
N236PRegistered now · Cessna P210NS/N P21000116Airframe modelCessna P210NEngine modelContinental TSIO-520 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.

(-23) Aircraft (N236P) departed dallas executive airport, (rbd) for atlanta, Georgia. (Pdk) VFR and climbed to 17,500 feet for the trip. Approximately 50 miles west of birmingham, Alabama, the engine oil pressure dropped below the green arc. The cylinder head temperature was normal, the engine tachometer reading was normal, and manifold suction pressure was normal. The pilot decided to make a precautionary landing to Gadsden airport. Approximately 10 minutes later during the descent the oil pressure continued dropping significantly. Six (6) miles from the Gadsden airport there was a large explosion in the engine compartment, the left windshield was coated with oil, and 30 seconds later the engine seized. At approximately 2,000 MSL (1,400 asl) and descending, the single-engine Cessna 210 glided on to a county road U.S. 11, south of etowah county, Alabama on a heading of 030-5 miles south west Gadsden airport. The aircraft had only the PIC on board, there was no injuries or damage to the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT (N236P) DEPARTED DALLAS EXECUTIVE AIRPORT, (RBD) FOR ATLANTA, GEORGIA. (PDK) VFR AND CLIMBED TO 17,500 FEET FOR THE TRIP. APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES WEST OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED BELOW THE GREEN ARC. THE CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURE WAS NORMAL, THE ENGINE TACHOMETER READING WAS NORMAL, AND MANIFOLD SUCTION PRESSURE WAS NORMAL. THE PILOT DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING TO GADSDEN AIRPORT. APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES LATER DURING THE DESCENT THE OIL PRESSURE CONTINUED DROPPING SIGNIFICANTLY. SIX (6) MILES FROM THE GADSDEN AIRPORT THERE WAS A LARGE EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE LEFT WINDSHIELD WAS COATED WITH OIL, AND 30 SECONDS LATER THE ENGINE SEIZED. AT APPROXIMATELY 2,000 MSL (1,400 ASL) AND DESCENDING, THE SINGLE-ENGINE CESSNA 210 GLIDED ON TO A COUNTY ROAD U.S. 11, SOUTH OF ETOWAH COUNTY, ALABAMA ON A HEADING OF 030-5 MILES SOUTH WEST GADSDEN AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD ONLY THE PIC ON BOARD, THERE WAS NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.