- Date
- January 4, 2006, 19:30 local (Jan 5, 2006, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Midland, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5279ACessna T210
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FSDO, Lubbock, TX, Continental Aircraft Engines, Inc.
- FAA report
- 20060104000049A
- Case key
- 63067
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 loss of engine power due to a connecting rod failure. Contributing factors were the dark night conditions and the lack of suitable terrain for the 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
While in cruise flight at an altitude of 6,500 feet, the 1,150-hour commercial pilot noticed a rise in engine oil temperature. The pilot opened the cowl flaps and increased the mixture control, which reduced the EGT and the CHT. Approximately 5 minutes later, the engine started "running rough and sparks appeared from the cowling with loud bangs." The pilot shut-down the engine and extended the landing gear for a forced landing on a road. The airplane was unable to make the road and during the night forced landing in a mesquite covered field, the airplane sustained structural damage. An examination of the engine revealed that several of the engine's connecting rods had failed and the number one piston was found to be eroded.
Factual narrative
While in cruise flight at an altitude of 6,500 feet, the 1,150-hour commercial pilot noticed a rise in engine oil temperature. The pilot opened the cowl flaps and increased the mixture control, which reduced the EGT and the CHT. Approximately 5 minutes later, the engine started "running rough and sparks appeared from the cowling with loud bangs." The pilot shut-down the engine and extended the landing gear for a forced landing on a road. The airplane was unable to make the road and during the night forced landing in a mesquite covered field, the airplane sustained structural damage. An examination of the engine revealed that several of the engine's connecting rods had failed and the number one piston was found to be eroded.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5279A
- Reported as
- Cessna T210
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21063344
- Airframe hours
- 2,319
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-R, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Basin Aviation, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 2005
- Departed
- SAT · San Antonio, TX
- Destination
- Midland, TX
- Flight plan
- Company 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
- 20
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,150 total · 37 in this make and model · 900 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- MAF, 12 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.