# Incident 20120225002479I: Hermansen H Erik VANS RV-6A, Le Grand, CA, February 25, 2012

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 25, 2012, 09:00 local time
- Place: Le Grand, CA
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.2288° N, 120.2540° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Le Grand, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.2288&lon=-120.2540&mi=10
- Aircraft: N638EH (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: HERMANSEN H ERIK VANS RV-6A
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-360 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120225002479I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

WHILE IN CRUISE FROM SIERRA SKYPARK (FRESNO, CA) TO COLUMBIA, CA ON SATURDAY, FEB. 26,2012, 0900 THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. (O-360 A1A S/N L-38193-36A) THE PILOT PREPARED FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING BY TURNING BACK TOWARDS MADERA, CA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON DESCENT AND WAS ABOUT 2500 FEET WHEN THE CONNECTING ROD FROM CYLINDER #1 BLEW THROUGH THE ENGINE COWLING. THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE LOST POWER IMMEDIATELY, BUT THE PROPELLER WAS STILL WIND MILLING. ENGINE OIL BLEW OUT OVER THE TOP FUSELAGE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ON THE COUNTRY ROAD. NO INJURIES OCCURRED BETWEEN THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER AND NO FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT OTHER THAN THE ENGINE AND THE ENGINE COWL OCCURRED. THE ENGINE HAS 6 INCH HOLE IN CASE. APPEARS AS THOUGH THE #1 CONNECTING ROD WAS FORCED THROUGH THE CRANKSHAFT, CASE, AND THEN THE ENGINE COWL. REVIEWED ENGINE FLIGHT LOG AND NO MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN PERFORMED PRIOR TO FLIGHT. NO OTHER MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON THE ENGINE ACCORDING TO THE LOG BOOKS OTHER THAN ROUTINE OIL CHANGES AND COMPRESSION CHECKS WHICH WERE ALL NORMAL. THE TOTAL TIME ON THE ENGINE IS 522 HRS.

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.

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