- Date
- February 23, 1996, 13:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Hazard, KY
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N90ADCessna P210N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960223002689A
- Case key
- 28025
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
failure of the engine crankshaft, which resulted in loss of engine power, a forced landing, and subsequent damage to the airplane. A factor relating to the accident was: lack of suitable terrain for 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 pilot reported that the airplane was level at 6000 feet MSL, when the engine lost power. He stated that his attempts to restart the engine included switching fuel tanks and using the boost pumps, but all were unsuccessful. A forced landing was made in a strip mine, where the airplane came to rest with substantial damage. An FAA Inspector stated that an engine teardown revealed that the crankshaft had failed in the vicinity of the two rear cylinders. Records indicated the engine had been operated 913 hours since major overhaul.
Factual narrative
On February 23, 1996, at 1315 eastern standard time (EST), a Cessna P210N, N90AD, lost engine power during descent, and made a forced landing near Hazard, Kentucky. The airplane sustained substantial damage during the forced landing. The certificated private pilot/registered owner, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and an IFR flight plan was filed. The business flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Reading, Pennsylvania, at 1130 EST. The intended destination was London, Kentucky.
The pilot stated that the airplane was in cruise flight at 12,000 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL), when Air Traffic Control (ATC) issued a clearance to descend to 6,000 feet MSL. The pilot reported that approximately 2 minutes after he leveled the airplane at 6,000 feet MSL, he noticed that the fuel flow indicator started to fluctuate. He stated that about 30 seconds later "...the engine just quit, did not [sputter] or backfire, just quit." The pilot stated that he attempted to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful. The pilot made a forced landing in a strip mine.
The aircraft was examined after the accident by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector. The Inspector stated that there was about 40 gallons of aviation fuel on board the airplane. The airplane was removed from the accident site, and an engine teardown was conducted. The FAA Inspector stated that the engine teardown revealed that the crankshaft had failed in the vicinity of the two rear cylinders. The pilot reported that the engine had operated 913 hours since major overhaul. The most recent maintenance inspection was an Annual Inspection, dated October 23, 1995.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N90AD
- Reported as
- Cessna P210N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- P210-00156
- Airframe hours
- 4,376
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-P, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert H. Kline
- Registered owner
- Kline Process Systems, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 23, 1995 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- RDG · Reading, PA
- Destination
- LOZ · London, KY
- 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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,467 total · 697 in this make and model · 1,361 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F
- Observed at
- JKL, 25 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.