# NTSB CEN17LA352: Cessna 210G, N5906F, Hallsville, MO, September 13, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 13, 2017, 17:17 local (22:17 UTC) - Place: Hallsville, MO - Coordinates: 39.123054, -92.118057 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1231&lon=-92.1181&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 8, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Continental Motors, Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 96014 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN17LA352 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/96014/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96014 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA352 ## Probable cause The total loss of engine power due to a fatigue failure of the engine mixture control cable. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Fatigue/wear/corrosion (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 210G, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md?model=2073430), [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 210G, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2073430), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 210G, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2073430), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095); cases with it: [Cessna 210G, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=2073430), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Cessna 210G, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2073430), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot reported that, while in cruise flight, a total loss of engine power occurred. After unsuccessful attempts to restart the engine, he landed the airplane gear up in a cornfield, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the engine mixture control cable had fractured about 9 inches from its attachment point at the engine. A metallurgical examination of the mixture control cable with a scanning electron microscope revealed fracture surface features that were consistent with a fatigue failure. It is likely that the engine mixture control cable fractured in flight, which led to a total loss of engine power. ## Factual narrative On September 13, 2017, about 1717 central daylight time, a Cessna 210G airplane, N5906F, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Hallsville, Missouri. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by AWG Aviation LLC under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which departed without a flight plan from Columbia Regional Airport (COU), Columbia, Missouri, about 1704, with a destination of Washington Municipal Airport (AWG), Washington, Iowa. According to the pilot, after climbing to 3,500 ft above mean sea level, he leaned the engine's mixture. While in cruise flight, he observed a total loss of engine power and the propeller continuing to windmill. After unsuccessful attempts to restart the engine, the pilot landed, gear up, in a cornfield, damaging the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed the engine mixture control cable had fractured about nine inches from its attachment point at the engine. The cable was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Materials Laboratory for further examination. Digital microscope images of the wire strands indicated the fracture surfaces were flat and perpendicular to the axes of the strands. No necking or thinning of the individual strands consistent with overstress separation was observed. Several wires were sectioned examined using a Zeiss Auriga 40 field emission scanning electron microscope (SEM). Post separation impact damage was observed around the outer circumference of the fracture surface. Feathery features consistent with fatigue were observed on the fracture surface. The full NTSB Materials Laboratory report is available in the official docket of this investigation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5906F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5906F-2018-08-25), registration cancelled 2018-08-25, S/N 21058906, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 210G - Registry model: [Cessna 210G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-210g) (registry code 2073430) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 21058906 - Year built: 1967 - Airframe hours: 3737 - Engines: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: AWG Aviation LLC - Registered owner: AWG Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, December 2, 2016, 58 hours before - Departed: COU, Columbia, MO - Destination: AWG, WASHINGTON, IA - Equipment: Auto-pilot, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 1, 2017; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 95 total, 40 in this make and model, 60 as pilot in command, 38 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 330° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 29.75 inHg - Observed at: COU, 15 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20170913020769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170913020769A), Sep 13, 2017: Cessna 210G, Hallsville, MO, Substantial damage. During climb out from kcou, the engine completely stopped operating. After attemps to restart the engine failed, the pilot performed an emergency forced… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 6, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96014. 3.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40468978&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Correspondence with FAA (item 2, .PDF, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40468979&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Correspondence%20with%20FAA-Master.PDF - NTSB Materials Laboratory - Factual Report (item 3, .PDF, 6 photos, 954 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40468980&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Materials%20Laboratory%20-%20Factual%20Report-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- 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.