- Date
- November 24, 1994, 17:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Aurora, MO
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4872PCessna P210N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941124048689A
- Case key
- 9804
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
An undetermined failure of the engine crankshaft resulting in total loss of engine power. The terrain at the emergency landing site and nighttime darkness were contributing factors.
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 aircraft was substantially damaged during a night forced landing in an open field following loss of engine power. During the landing roll all three landing gear failed due to overload and the aircraft came to rest upright. Subsequent disassembly of the engine revealed that the crankshaft had broken, the reason for the failure could not be determined.
Factual narrative
On November 24, 1994, at 1745 central standard time, a Cessna P210N, N4872P, was substantially damaged during a night forced landing following a loss of engine power near Aurora, Missouri. The private pilot received minor injuries. The personal flight originated at the Springfield Municipal Airport, Springfield, Missouri, at 1715 cst, with an intended destination of Rogers, Arkansas. An IFR flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.
The pilot reported that the aircraft performed normally during takeoff and climb from Springfield. However, during cruise at 6,000 feet, the engine began to "sound unusual" and a short time later it stopped completely. The pilot selected a farm field in darkness and complete a forced landing. The pilot reported that weather at the accident location was approximately 2,500 foot overcast with no obstruction to visibility.
The air traffic controller handling the flight at Fort Smith (Arkansas) Air Traffic Control Tower reported that the pilot indicated no difficulty on initial contact. The controller gave the pilot weather at Rogers Airport, advised which approach to expect and cleared the flight to descend to 4,000 feet. Approximately 10 seconds later the pilot reported that the aircraft's engine had quit. The controller attempted to assist the pilot in locating a nearby road or airport, however, by that time radar and radio contact had been lost with the flight.
The aircraft landed in an open field, all three landing gear collapsed due to overload and the aircraft came to rest upright. The pilot reported that he exited the aircraft and walked to a nearby farmhouse to call for assistance.
Subsequent disassembly of the engine revealed that the crankshaft had fractured for undetermined reasons.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4872P
- Reported as
- Cessna P210N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- P21000125
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-P, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Aviators, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- SGF · Springfield, MO
- Destination
- ROG · Rogers, AR
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 49
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,198 total · 166 in this make and model · 1,172 as pilot in command · 65 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 200° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SGF, 23 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.