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Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Cessna U206C · Grand Canyon, AZ · May 8, 2024

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 8, 2024 · 13:30 local
Place
Grand Canyon, AZ
Airport
Grand Canyon National Park
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N29011
Reported as
Cessna U206C
Reported engine
Continental IO-550 series
People aboard
5
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
780 total
N29011Registered now · Cessna U206CS/N U2061009Airframe modelCessna U206C

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.

This incident was reported to gcn ATC on 5/12/24 and the pilot did not declare an emergency. On 5/8/24, during the sixth and final flight of the day, the #4 engine cylinder on this aircraft failed in flight. Upon reaching an estimated altitude of 13,500 to 14,500 MSL the pilot said he heard a loud bang. About 15 seconds later the engine instruments indicated the #4 cylinder had failed. Engine power output reduced to 80% despite the throttle being fully engaged. The pilot was close to his drop zone so he decided to release the skydivers on board. The pilot kept the aircraft as close to the airport as possible and engine power was maintained at 50% during descent despite the throttle being fully engaged. The pilot landed without incident. After landing, engine RPM remained above 1550 at idle. The pilot had to cut the fuel mixture to shut down the engine. After removing the cowling, the pilot said it was evident the #4 cylinder failed with the outer cylinder exploding outward, impacting the cowling. After the investigation into the cause of this event it was determined that there were no maintenance or operational issues that caused the failure of the #4 engine cylinder.

As the FAA filed it

THIS INCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO GCN ATC ON 5/12/24 AND THE PILOT DID NOT DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. ON 5/8/24, DURING THE SIXTH AND FINAL FLIGHT OF THE DAY, THE #4 ENGINE CYLINDER ON THIS AIRCRAFT FAILED IN FLIGHT. UPON REACHING AN ESTIMATED ALTITUDE OF 13,500 TO 14,500 MSL THE PILOT SAID HE HEARD A LOUD BANG. ABOUT 15 SECONDS LATER THE ENGINE INSTRUMENTS INDICATED THE #4 CYLINDER HAD FAILED. ENGINE POWER OUTPUT REDUCED TO 80% DESPITE THE THROTTLE BEING FULLY ENGAGED. THE PILOT WAS CLOSE TO HIS DROP ZONE SO HE DECIDED TO RELEASE THE SKYDIVERS ON BOARD. THE PILOT KEPT THE AIRCRAFT AS CLOSE TO THE AIRPORT AS POSSIBLE AND ENGINE POWER WAS MAINTAINED AT 50% DURING DESCENT DESPITE THE THROTTLE BEING FULLY ENGAGED. THE PILOT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER LANDING, ENGINE RPM REMAINED ABOVE 1550 AT IDLE. THE PILOT HAD TO CUT THE FUEL MIXTURE TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE. AFTER REMOVING THE COWLING, THE PILOT SAID IT WAS EVIDENT THE #4 CYLINDER FAILED WITH THE OUTER CYLINDER EXPLODING OUTWARD, IMPACTING THE COWLING. AFTER THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE CAUSE OF THIS EVENT IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WERE NO MAINTENANCE OR OPERATIONAL ISSUES THAT CAUSED THE FAILURE OF THE #4 ENGINE CYLINDER.