# Incident 20180223005189I: Neff William A VANS RV-6, Tonopah, AZ, February 23, 2018

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 23, 2018, 18:57 local time
- Place: Tonopah, AZ
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.4880° N, 112.9308° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Tonopah, AZ, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4880&lon=-112.9308&mi=10
- Aircraft: N220CB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N220CB) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Neff William A VANS RV-6 (registry code 05616NI, https://openairdocs.org/model/neff-william-a-vans-rv-6) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-360 series (registry code 41575, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: NEFF WILLIAM A VANS RV-6
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-360 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 16,000 total, 300 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180223005189I

## Narrative

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

DURING A FLIGHT FROM LAX TO KBXX AT AN APPROXIMATE ALTITUDE OF 5000 FT IN A SLOW DECENT FOR PHOENIX ENGINE RPM INDICATED 3000. AT WHICH TIME THE AIRSPEED BEGAN TO DECAY. THE PILOT INDICATED HE BROUGHT BACK THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE AND PROPELLER LEVER AS HE DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM. APPROXIMATELY 45 SECONDS INTO THE EVENT THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER STOPPED AND A SMALL AMOUNT OF SMOKE APPEARED IN THE COCKPIT. PILOT COULD NOT MAKE NEAREST AIRPORT AND LANDED ON RURAL ROAD WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT.

UPON ARRIVAL TO REVIEW AIRCRAFT, NOTED ENGINE AND PROPELLER WERE ALREADY OFF AIRCRAFT. FOUND #4 CONNECTING ROD PROTRUDING THROUGH ENGINE CASE. NOTED CRANK SEAL WAS NOT SEATED IN PROPER LOCATION. COULD NOT POSITIVELY IDENTIFY CAUSE OF FAILURE, DUE TO AIRCRAFT PROPELLER AND ENGINE BEING REMOVED AND PARTIALLY DISASSEMBLED AND NO TEAR DOWN OF ENGINE BEING CONDUCTED/AUTHORIZED BY OWNER.

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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