# NTSB MIA03LA160: Cessna T210M, N86PH, Hialeah, FL, August 10, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 10, 2003, 11:38 local (15:38 UTC) - Place: Hialeah, FL - Coordinates: 25.933332, -80.483329 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.9333&lon=-80.4833&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO, NTSB - NTSB case key (mKey): 57697 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA03LA160 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57697/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA03LA160 ## Probable cause Spinning of the crankshaft No. 2 main bearing for undetermined reasons resulting in damage to the aft cheek of the No. 2 main bearing journal, fatigue failure of the crankshaft cheek, failure of the engine in cruise flight, and damage to the airplane during the subsequent forced landing on unsuitable terrain.. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, cruise - normal - engine assembly,bearing - loose (cause) - engine assembly,crankshaft - scored - engine assembly,crankshaft - fatigue - engine assembly,crankshaft - failure,total - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - Ditching, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - swampy - terrain condition - none suitable ## Analysis The pilot stated that they departed Opa Locka Airport, Opa Locka, Florida, about 1040. They flew to a practice area to the west of Opa Locka West Airport and performed basic instrument work. The right front seat passenger was acting as the safety pilot. While they were returning to Opa Locka Airport, while in cruise flight at 1,500 feet, the engine ceased operating abruptly. Attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful and the airplane was ditched in the Everglades, about 2 miles west of the Opa Locka West Airport. Prior to the forced landing they made contact with a controller at the FAA Opa Locka Airport Control Tower. They were rescued by a Miami-Dade County Police Department helicopter and taken back to the Opa Locka Airport. Post accident examination of the airplane and engine after the airplane was recovered from the Everglades showed the engine rotated when the propeller was rotated, but it was determined the accessory section of the engine was not rotating. Disassembly of the engine showed the crankshaft had fractured in the aft cheek of the No. 2 main bearing. The remains of the main bearing were found in the bottom of the engine crankcase. Metallurgical examination of the forward end of the crankshaft revealed that the fracture was located in the aft cheek of the No. 2 main bearing journal. The fracture surface showed features typical of fatigue progression from the radius of the journal in a plane perpendicular to the radius surface (approximately 45 degrees to the journal surface) with multiple origins. The mating fracture surface was completely damaged by rubbing. The fatigue initiation site at the radius surface did not contain scoring marks or scratches, but circumferential skidding marks and rub damage that intersected the origin area were observed elsewhere in the radius. Skidding/rub damage was also observed on the journal surface, with the surface being heat-tinted and rougher than the other main bearing journal surfaces. Examination of the No. 2 main bearing pieces showed that the pieces appeared to make one complete set of bearings. Sections of the bearings were rounded and showed a copper-colored region toward the edge (the copper-colored region is the middle layer in the tri-metal bearings used). The bearing contour matched the crankshaft radius. One bearing piece showed that the anti-rotation tab was fractured off in overstress. Examination of the crankcase halves showed that the No. 2 main bearing bosses revealed severe rotational rub damage, consistent with rotation of the bearing against the boss. Some minor wearing/fretting damage was observed on the boss mating surface of main bearing No. 3. Examination of the cylinder mounting surfaces in the vicinity of the locations where through-bolts at the No. 2 main bearing emerge from the case did not reveal significant fretting/corrosion damage. Only minor localized areas of fretting/corrosion damage were observed. Engine logbook records show that the engine last received a major overhaul on April 1, 1997, 865.5 flight hours before the accident. On November 25, 1998, 557.5 flight hours before the accident, all six cylinders were replaced with new cylinders. On August 23, 2001, 298 flight hours before the accident, all six cylinders were replaced with overhauled cylinders. On March 8, 2003, 31.8 flight hours before the accident, the engine received a 100-hour inspection. ## Factual narrative On August 10, 2003, about 1138 eastern daylight time, a Cessna T210M, N86PH, registered to Midnight Flying Corporation, ditched in the Everglades, near Hialeah, Florida, following loss of engine power, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot and commercial-rated passenger were not injured. The flight originated from Opa Locka, Florida, the same day, about 1040. The pilot stated that they departed Opa Locka Airport, Opa Locka, Florida, about 1040. They flew to a practice area to the west of Opa Locka West Airport and performed basic instrument work. The right front seat passenger was acting as the safety pilot. While they were returning to Opa Locka Airport, while in cruise flight at 1,500 feet, the engine ceased operating abruptly. Attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful and the airplane was ditched in the Everglades, about 2 miles west of the Opa Locka West Airport. Prior to the forced landing they made contact with a controller at the FAA Opa Locka Airport Control Tower. They were rescued by a Miami-Dade County Police Department helicopter and taken back to the Opa Locka Airport. NTSB and FAA investigators performed an examination of the airplane and engine after the airplane was recovered from the Everglades. The engine rotated when the propeller was rotated, but it was determined the accessory section of the engine was not rotating. The engine was removed from the airplane and taken to an engine overhaul company for disassembly. Disassembly of the engine showed the crankshaft had fractured in the aft cheek of the No. 2 main bearing. The remains of the main bearing were found in the bottom of the engine crankcase. The NTSB Materials Laboratory, Washington, D.C., performed an examination of the fractured crankshaft, No. 2 main bearing pieces, the No. 2 connecting rod, and the left and right crankcase halves. Examination of the forward end of the crankshaft revealed that the fracture was located in the aft cheek of the No. 2 main bearing journal. The fracture surface showed features typical of fatigue progression from the radius of the journal in a plane perpendicular to the radius surface (approximately 45 degrees to the journal surface) with multiple origins. The mating fracture surface was completely damaged by rubbing. The fatigue initiation site at the radius surface did not contain scoring marks or scratches, but circumferential skidding marks and rub damage that intersected the origin area were observed elsewhere in the radius. Skidding/rub damage was also observed on the journal surface, with the surface being heat-tinted and rougher than the other main bearing journal surfaces. The NTSB Materials Laboratory's examination of the No. 2 main bearing pieces showed that the pieces appeared to make one complete set of bearings. Sections of the bearings were rounded and showed a copper-colored region toward the edge (the copper-colored region is the middle layer in the tri-metal bearings used). The bearing contour matched the crankshaft radius. One bearing piece showed that the anti-rotation tab was fractured off in overstress. Examination of the crankcase halves showed that the No. 2 main bearing bosses revealed severe rotational rub damage, consistent with rotation of the bearing against the boss. Some minor wearing/fretting damage was observed on the boss mating surface of main bearing No. 3. Examination of the cylinder mounting surfaces in the vicinity of the locations where through-bolts at the No. 2 main bearing emerge from the case did not reveal significant fretting/corrosion damage. Only minor localized areas of fretting/corrosion damage were observed. Engine logbook records show that the engine last received a major overhaul on April 1, 1997, 865.5 flight hours before the accident. On November 25, 1998, 557.5 flight hours before the accident, all six cylinders were replaced with new cylinders. On August 23, 2001, 298 flight hours before the accident, all six cylinders were replaced with overhauled cylinders. On March 8, 2003, 31.8 flight hours before the accident, the engine received a 100-hour inspection. The aircraft wreckage was released by NTSB to the registered aircraft owner on August 27, 2003. Components retained by NTSB for further examination were returned to the registered aircraft owner. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N86PH](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N86PH-2008-10-03), registration cancelled 2008-10-03, S/N 21062777, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna T210M - Registry model: [Cessna T210M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t210m) (registry code 2073451) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 21062777 - Airframe hours: 3608 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520-R 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Midnight Flying Corp. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 8, 2003, 32 hours before - Departed: OPF, Opa Locka, FL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review August 7, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 800 total, 300 in this make and model, 725 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours - Other flight crew; age 63; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 7,000 total, 40 in this make and model, 50 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: OPF, 7 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20030810020889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030810020889A), Aug 10, 2003: Cessna T210M, Miami Lakes, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot reported sudden stoppage of the engine without sputtering at 1500 ft MSL altitude while returning to opa locka airport (kopf) after pleasure… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.