- Date
- November 28, 1992, 11:23 local (15:23 UTC)
- Place
- Point Hope, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N20752Cessna 185
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19921128049509A
- Case key
- 5852
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of the no. two cylinder connecting rod due to a slipped (spun) main crankshaft bearing which blocked off the oil hole to the connecting rod. A factor in the accident was the unsuitable terrain on which to perform a forced landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The engine failed about 5 to 6 minutes after takeoff during the climb to cruise phase of operation. The pilot made an off airport forced landing on an ice flow. At the time of the accident, the part 135 operator was repositioning the airplane under part 91. The cause of the engine failure was traced to a spun crankshaft bearing which blocked off the oil hole to the no. 2 cylinder connecting rod, resulting in its catastrophic failure. The spun bearing most likely was the result of either a loss of torque or insufficient torque being applied to the crankcase thru stud bolts.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N20752
- Reported as
- Cessna 185
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18503041
- Airframe hours
- 3,179
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Cape Smythe Air Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · November 6, 1992 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- PHO
- Destination
- OTZ · Kotzebue, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 23
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,600 total · 19 in this make and model · 2,200 as pilot in command · 350 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 45° at 15 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 9 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N20752 · 7
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.