# NTSB NYC94LA045: Cessna 206A, N776P, Williamsburg, VA, January 3, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 2, 1994, 22:23 local (Jan 3, 1994, 03:23 UTC) - Place: Williamsburg, VA - Location: 37.2250° N, 76.7126° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from NTSB’s distance and direction from WALTRIP WILLIAMSBURG EXEC AIRPORT (JGG), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.2250&lon=-76.7126&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 18, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38725 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC94LA045 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38725/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC94LA045 ## Probable cause an exhaust valve failure that created a hole in the piston, which allowed the complete loss of engine oil, resulting in the subsequent forced landing. ## 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 - light condition - dark night - engine assembly,valve,exhaust - failure,total (cause) - fluid,oil - loss,total (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with object, descent - emergency - object - tree(s) ## Analysis DURING PREFLIGHT THE PILOT CONFIRMED 11 QUARTS OF OIL IN THE ENGINE. THE PILOT DEPARTED ON A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT AND CLIMBED TO A CRUISING ALTITUDE OF 4500 FEET. FIFTEEN MINUTES AFTER TAKE OFF THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AFTER THE PILOT INITIATED A TURN TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THE PILOT WAS APPROACHING WATER AND ELECTED NOT TO SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN. A SECOND EXPLOSION OCCURRED FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE. AFTER A THIRD EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY FIRE ERUPTING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE PILOT SECURED THE ENGINE AND SHUT THE FUEL OFF. DURING THE FORCED LANDING THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN A FIELD. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT AN EXHAUST VALVE HAD BROKEN FREE AND CREATED A HOLE IN THE PISTON. THE ENGINE WAS FOUND ABSENT OF OIL. TWO CONNECTING RODS FAILED AT THE CRANKSHAFT JOURNALS FROM A LACK OF LUBRICATION. ## Factual narrative On January 2, 1994, about 2223 eastern standard time, a Cessna 206A, N776P, piloted by Terry Brown, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near the Williamsburg Airport, Williamsburg, Virginia. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A visual flight rules flight plan had been filed for the flight operating under 14 CFR 91. In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated that during his preflight he confirmed there were 11 quarts of oil in the engine. After a long warm-up due to the cold temperature, he departed the Williamsburg Airport (JGG) and climbed to 4500 feet. About 15 minutes after take off, as he was preparing to file a flight plan, "...an instant decrease in power was noticed." He further stated: A turn was made to return to the A/P [airport] at JGG...there was an explosion from the front left side of the engine (all the flames came out there). I was approaching water...and did not want to shut down so [I] kept engine on line, 30-45 seconds later a second explosion took place, this time fire came out right front and oil pressure was lost. I still needed whatever I would get and kept the engine operating. The cockpit filled with smoke and the third explosion took place with fire coming out of the engine compartment. I secured the engine and fuel...I was not going to make the A/P, but remembered a road south west of JGG, and...set up a pattern, and landed. Evading wires on short final I dodged the tree on the right...over input left aileron and put the left wing into a tree...and ended up going backward nose-low." An engine examination was performed by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector and a representative of Teledyne Continental Motors on January 11, 1994, at the JGG Airport. The Teledyne representative report stated: The engine failure was induced by the failure of the #2 cylinder exhaust valve. This valve dropped into the cylinder and the severe hammering opened a hole in the piston. Combustion gases evacuated the oil through the breather and the #4 and #5 connecting rods failed at the crankshaft journals after lubrication failure. The relative damage to the connecting rods suggest the connecting rod of the #5 cylinder (right front) failed first followed by the connecting rod of the #4 cylinder (middle left)...The exhaust valve, which may have been replaced at an engine overhaul 440 hours earlier, was a Superior valve, P/N SA 6438737-7998.... ## Aircraft - Registration: [N776P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N776P-1998-07-20), registration cancelled 1998-07-20, S/N U2060568 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 206A - Registry model: [Cessna TU206A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-tu206a) (registry code 2073318) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: U206-0568 - Airframe hours: 6766 - Engines: CONTINENTAL TSIO-520-C 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: In-Flight - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Mary C. Burch - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 21, 1993, 51 hours before - Destination: END, ENTERPRISE, AL - Airport: JGG, Williamsburg-Jamestown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 11,067 total, 365 in this make and model, 9,050 as pilot in command, 150 in the last 90 days, 70 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 360° at 4 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 6,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: RIC, 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19940102000129A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940102000129A), Jan 2, 1994: Cessna TU206A, Williamsburg, VA, Substantial damage. Explosions fire and power loss landed on road. Swallowed a valve. Oil pumped overboard. Rods failed lacking oil. 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.