- Date
- July 9, 1992, 07:50 local (14:50 UTC)
- Place
- Superior, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6483CCessna T210N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920709024559A
- Case key
- 27441
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 inadequate major engine overhaul procedure, during which previous crankshaft damage was not detected. Contributing to the accident was a surface initiated fatigue failure of the engine crankshaft.
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 certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was on a cross country business flight when the engine quit. The pilot made a forced landing about 250 feet short of a dirt airstrip. The airplane was destroyed by impact and a post impact fire, and the pilot was fatally injured. Examination of the engine revealed a broken crankshaft on the crankcheek adjacent to the number 1 cylinder. The crankshaft had been replaced 42 hours prior to the accident. The crankshaft was supplied from an engine with an accumulated total time of about 1,000 hours of operation that had previously sustained a separation of the number 1 cylinder from the engine case. After an inspection, the crankshaft was determined to be serviceable and installed in the accident airplane's engine. Metallurgical examination revealed a high cycle fatigue failure consistent with surface initiated cracking. A metallurgical report indicated that surface cracking would not be expected in the area of failure unless prior damage to the surface had occurred.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6483C
- Reported as
- Cessna T210N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21063900
- Airframe hours
- 2,894
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-R, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Edward Curtis
- Registered owner
- Edward Curtis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 17, 1992 · 35 hours before
- Departed
- SAD · Safford, AZ
- Destination
- PHX · Phoenix, AZ
- Airport
- E81 · Superior
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
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total · 600 in this make and model · 20 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- IWA, 32 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.