# Incident 20210614004069I: Cessna 310R, Blaine, MN, June 14, 2021

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 14, 2021, 04:05 local time
- Place: Blaine, MN
- Airport: Anoka County-Blaine (Janes Fld
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: W1XA
- Location: 45.1608° N, 93.2349° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Blaine, MN, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.1608&lon=-93.2349&mi=10
- Aircraft: N196TC, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N196TC) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 310R (registry code 2074245, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310r) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 310R
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210614004069I

## Narrative

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

2021-06-14 N196TC, C-310, DEPARTED ANOKA AIRPORT (KANE) AT 0359L. TOWER WAS CLOSED.

THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLIMBING UP TO 3000 FT MSL/2000 FT AGL. AT APPROXIMATELY 2800 FT MSL, 5 MILES FROM KANE AND GETTING READY TO START LEVELLING OFF THE PIC SAW THAT OIL PRESSURE ON THE LEFT ENGINE WAS ZERO. HE IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A LEFT TURN BACK TO KANE, AND LET THE CONTROLLER KNOW THAT HE HAD AN OIL PRESSURE PROBLEM AND WAS RETURNING TO THE AIRFIELD. HE DID NOT USE THE WORD "EMERGENCY".

AS HE ROLLED OUT OF THE 180 DEGREE TURN, HE WAS IN A DESCENT AND NOTICED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE ON THE LEFT ENGINE HAD COME UP ABOUT 2/3 ON THE GAUGE. AT THIS POINT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES FROM THE AIRFIELD. SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 1-2 MILES THE PIC FELT VIBRATIONS, SAW A GLOW TO HIS LEFT AND LOOKED AT THE ENGINE TO SEE THAT THE SMALL OIL FILLER DOOR WAS OPEN AND 3-5 INCH FLAMES WERE SHOOTING OUT OF IT. HE IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A LEFT ENGINE SHUTDOWN AND CLOSED OFF FUEL TO THE ENGINE. THE FIRE CONTINUED TO FLAME AND THE PIC ALERTED APPROACH CONTROL OF HIS "ENGINE ON FIRE". THE PIC PERFORMED AN UNEVENTFUL SINGLE ENGINE LANDING AND NOTICED THAT THE FIRE STARTED TO DIM AS HE ROLLED OUT. HE HAD STOPPED ON THE RUNWAY ABEAM HIS COMPANY RAMP SO HE TAXIED CLEAR OF THE RUNWAY, SHUTDOWN AND EXCITED THE PLANE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THAT TIME SO THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER ON BOARD WAS NOT USED. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT DID ARRIVE AT THAT TIME AND VERIFIED THE FIRE WAS OUT AND THE HEAT LEVELS WERE SAFE. THE TOTAL FLIGHT TIME WAS 6 MINUTES.

POST LANDING INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE #6 CONNECTING ROD BROKE THROUGH THE TOP OF THE ENGINE CASE. THIS SENT SHRAPNEL THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE COWLING. A LINE TO THE FUEL FLOW DIVIDER ON TOP OF THE ENGINE WAS CUT. THIS LINE WOULD HAVE BEEN LEAKING FUEL ON TOP OF THE ENGINE CASE, FEEDING THE FIRE, UNTIL THE FUEL WAS SHUT OFF. THIS ENGINE HAD 34 HOURS ON IT SINCE OVERHAUL.

## Other reports on N196TC (1)

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

- [Incident 20180302001359I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180302001359I), Mar 2, 2018: Cessna 310R (N196TC), Waterford, MI, Minor damage. Gear collapled on landing

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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