20140403004879A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna T210L · Clayton, AL · April 3, 2014

Date: April 3, 2014 · 15:30 local
Place: Clayton, AL
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N1631X
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA14LA179
Reported as: Cessna T210L
Reported engine: Continental TSIO-520 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,418 total179 in this make and model29 in the last 90 days

N1631XRegistration cancelled Apr 22, 2015 · Cessna T210LS/N 21060667 · Built 1975 Airframe modelCessna T210L Engine 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.

According to the pilot, while cruising at 6500 ft, in route to tuscaloosa Alabama,(tcl) from valdosta, ga (vld) the engine surged briefly and lost power. The propeller continued to spin but there was no indicated RPM or oil pressure. He spotted a field and set up for a forced landing but as the field got closer, he saw that it contained power lines and was unsuitable for landing. He decided instead to try to set the aircraft down on a road that was partly covered by trees. Just after touching down, the left wing impacted a tree sheering off five feet of the wing and turning the aircraft to the left, where it exited the road and impacted, hard, into the roadside ditch. This spun the aircraft 180 degrees and ripped the engine away from the firewall.

As the FAA filed it

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHILE CRUISING AT 6500 FT, IN ROUTE TO TUSCALOOSA ALABAMA,(TCL) FROM VALDOSTA, GA (VLD) THE ENGINE SURGED BRIEFLY AND LOST POWER. THE PROPELLER CONTINUED TO SPIN BUT THERE WAS NO INDICATED RPM OR OIL PRESSURE. HE SPOTTED A FIELD AND SET UP FOR A FORCED LANDING BUT AS THE FIELD GOT CLOSER, HE SAW THAT IT CONTAINED POWER LINES AND WAS UNSUITABLE FOR LANDING. HE DECIDED INSTEAD TO TRY TO SET THE AIRCRAFT DOWN ON A ROAD THAT WAS PARTLY COVERED BY TREES. JUST AFTER TOUCHING DOWN, THE LEFT WING IMPACTED A TREE SHEERING OFF FIVE FEET OF THE WING AND TURNING THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT, WHERE IT EXITED THE ROAD AND IMPACTED, HARD, INTO THE ROADSIDE DITCH. THIS SPUN THE AIRCRAFT 180 DEGREES AND RIPPED THE ENGINE AWAY FROM THE FIREWALL.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA14LA179Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportClayton, ALMaintenance personnel’s failure to properly torque the engine case through bolts, which resulted in the fatigue fracture of the crankshaft and subsequent total loss of engine power.Apr 3, 2014 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N1631X · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19780908018359ILevel Off Touchdown · Chino, CAPilot unable to extend gear before landing. Cause undetermined.Sep 8, 1978 · Minor damage