WPR17LA012

The airline transport pilot reported that, while climbing to cruise altitude, about 9 minutes into the cross-country flight, he felt a severe shudder and the engine experienced a total loss of power. Simultaneously, oil began to coat the windscreen. The pilot maneuvered for a nearby airport; however, as he neared the airport, he realized that the airplane would not reach the runway and elected to land in an open area of desert vegetation. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed a hole in the crankcase above the Nos. 3 and 4 connecting rod journals. The Nos. 3 and 4 pistons were fractured into several pieces, which were located within the engine. The No. 3 connecting rod had separated from the crankshaft. The No. 3 cylinder intake valve head was broken at the bottom of the valve guide; the valve head was not located within the engine. A visual examination by a metallurgist was unable to determine the initial failure mode given the postfracture mechanical damage to the fractured end of the valve stem and the absence of the separated valve head; however, due to the quantity and severity of damage found throughout the engine, the likely initial point of failure was a fracture to the intake valve in the No. 3 cylinder.

On October 20, 2016, about 0730 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Northland Aviation LLC Lancair IV-P airplane, N4YB, made a forced landing, following a total loss of engine power, near Lovelock, Nevada. The airline transport pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged to the wings and fuselage. The airplane was registered to Northland Aviation LLC and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed from Fallon Municipal Airport (FLX), Fallon, Nevada, about 0710, and was destined for Burns, Oregon. The pilot reported that he was climbing to his cruise altitude of 16,500 ft when, about 9 minutes into the flight, he felt a severe shudder and the engine lost power. Simultaneous to the shudder, oil began to coat the windscreen. The pilot headed for Derby Field Airport, Lovelock, for landing, however as he neared the airport, he realized that he was not going to make the runway and elected to land the airplane in an open area of desert vegetation. A review of maintenance records indicated that the experimental Lancair IV-P, serial number LIV-482 was issued a special airworthiness certificate on February 7, 2003. The airplane was equipped with a Continental Motors TSIO-550-E, serial number 803075, 350 hp engine. The pilot reported at the time of the accident, the engine had accumulated about 865 hours since new. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed a hole in the crankcase above the #3 and #4 connecting rod journals. The #3 and #4 pistons were fractured into several pieces that were located within the engine. The #3 connecting rod had separated from the crankshaft. The connecting rods and crankshaft journals exhibited signs of thermal distress. The camshaft was fractured into four pieces. The top and bottom spark plugs from cylinder #3 exhibited debris damage and the electrodes were missing. The combustion chamber of cylinder #3 exhibited impact marks from debris. The intake valve in cylinder #3 was broken at the bottom of the valve guide. The broken intake valve head was not located within the engine and the fracture surface of the valve stem was severely damaged from debris. A metallurgist from Continental Motors visually examined the parts and determined that further examination would prove to be inconclusive due to the mechanical damage the parts sustained.