# Incident 20240508022319I: Cessna U206C, Grand Canyon, AZ, May 8, 2024

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 8, 2024, 13:30 local time
- Place: Grand Canyon, AZ
- Airport: Grand Canyon National Park
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.9524° N, 112.1470° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at Grand Canyon National Park Airport (GCN), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9524&lon=-112.1470&mi=10
- Aircraft: N29011, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N29011) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna U206C (registry code 2073332, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-u206c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA U206C
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO-550 SERIES
- People aboard: 5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 780 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240508022319I

## Narrative

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

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.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.