CHI95LA008

According to the pilot, the engine began to run rough while in cruise. He made an attempt to correct the engine roughness by adjusting both the mixture control and the power setting. The pilot stated the airplane then began to lose airspeed and he was forced to make an emergency landing. He flew to the nearest airport, but said there was insufficient altitude or engine power to maneuver the airplane for a landing into the wind. During a tailwind landing, the airplane went off the departure end of the runway into a drainage ditch and nosed over. Postaccident examination revealed the number four cylinder had suffered a pre-ignition/detonation event. Examination of the remaining cylinders revealed light combustion deposits.

On October 10, 1994, at 1040 central daylight time, a Cessna T210R, Canadian registered CGHRG, registered to Kenneth Esch of Ontario, Canada, was substantially damaged following a loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing near Lakota, North Dakota. The private pilot reported minor injuries, the passenger reported no injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight originated in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at 0900 with an intended destination of Glasgow, Montana. An IFR flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.

According to the pilot, the engine began to run rough approximately 30 miles southwest of Grand Forks, North Dakota. In an attempt to correct the engine roughness, he began to make mixture control and power setting changes. The pilot stated the airplane then began to lose airspeed and he decided to make an emergency landing. The pilot contacted Grand Forks [ATC] to request the nearest airport for landing. ATC advised the pilot of his position and distance to the nearest airport which was Lakota Municipal Airport, Lakota, North Dakota.

The pilot stated that he had to land the airplane on runway 33 with a quartering tail wind because there was no time to circle to runway 15 which was the active runway with the current wind conditions. While landing at Lakota Municipal, the airplane went off the end of the runway into a drainage ditch and nosed over.

A surface weather observation taken six minutes prior to the accident from Devils Lake Municipal Airport reported the winds were from 190 degrees at 12 knots. Devils Lake is located 25 nautical miles to the west of Lakota.

A postaccident engine teardown and examination revealed the number four cylinder had suffered a pre-ignition/detonation event. The number four cylinder exhibited heavy scoring completely around the cylinder barrel. The bottom section of the piston was burned through from behind the steel insert to a point just below the oil control ring. The piston skirt was scored around the entire circumference of the piston from expansion into contact with the cylinder walls. Both valves appeared normal with no evidence of valve stem undercut or face cracks. The number four cylinder spark plugs were coated with aluminum from the piston crown. The remaining spark plugs appeared normal.

Examination of the remaining cylinders revealed light combustion deposits on the number two, five, and six cylinder. The spark plugs on these cylinders appeared normal and all appeared to have been firing.

The pilot stated he used proper mixture control leaning procedures throughout the flight.