Sunday, May 06, 2018

Cessna 182T Skylane, N65903: Accident occurred October 09, 2016 in Toone, Hardeman County, Tennessee

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity: 

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Memphis, Tennessee 

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board:  https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf


Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:  https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms


http://registry.faa.gov/N65903

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board

Location: Toone, TN
Accident Number: ERA17LA019
Date & Time: 10/09/2016, 1050 CDT
Registration: N65903
Aircraft: CESSNA 182
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (partial)
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On October 9, 2016, about 1050 central daylight time, a Cessna 182T, N65903, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in a field, following a partial loss of engine power during cruise flight near Toone, Tennessee. The private pilot was not injured. The personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight that that originated from Destin Executive Airport (DTS), Destin, Florida, about 0730. The flight was destined to McKeller-Sipes Regional Airport (MKL), Jackson, Tennessee.

The pilot reported that while in cruise flight at 4,000 feet mean sea level, nearing the destination airport, an instrument panel warning sounded and the oil pressure indicator was in the red arc; however, the engine was running smoothly. The pilot began to look for airports or fields to divert to and notified air traffic control (ATC) of the abnormal engine indication. The pilot then requested, and ATC approved a direct course to the destination airport. A few minutes later, a light "clanging" noise was heard from the engine and the pilot alerted ATC that the airplane did indeed have an engine problem. The controller then advised the pilot that there was a private airstrip 5 miles west of his position and the pilot attempted to divert to that airstrip. The "clanging" noise grew louder and the engine did not have enough power to reach the private airstrip. The pilot then performed a forced landing in a field. During the landing, the airplane encountered uneven terrain, which collapsed the nose landing gear.

Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the firewall had sustained damage. The inspector also noted that the engine's No. 3 cylinder had suffered a catastrophic failure. Examination of photos provided by the inspector revealed evidence of oil on the exterior of the engine and exhaust system in the immediate vicinity of the No. 3 cylinder. The inspector added that the No. 3 cylinder exhaust valve was stuck in the closed position. The No. 3 cylinder was retained and forwarded to the NTSB Materials Laboratory, Washington, D.C. Examination of the No. 3 cylinder revealed that the rocker arm shaft bosses, bushings, and exhaust valve keeper were fractured. The rocker arm cover was fractured and bent outward. All of the fracture surfaces exhibited features consistent with overstress failure. No indications of pre-existing damage, such as corrosion or fatigue cracking, were observed. Dimensional review of the stuck exhaust valve revealed that it exhibited deposits on its surface up to 0.006-inch thick.

The four-seat, high-wing, fixed-tricycle gear airplane was manufactured in 2004. It was equipped with a Lycoming IO-540, 230-horsepower engine. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on July 12, 2016. At that time, the engine had accumulated 2,188.6 hours since new. The airplane had flown 79.8 hours from the time of the inspection, until the accident, which resulted in 2,268.4 total engine hours since new at the time of the accident. The manufacturer recommended overhaul time for the make and model engine was 12 years or 2,000 hours, whichever occurred first.

Review of an engine data plot for the accident flight reveled that the engine monitor was indicating that the No. 3 cylinder was about two-thirds below the exhaust gas temperature and cylinder head temperature of the other five cylinders during the entire approximate 3-hours cruise portion of the accident flight. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 40, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 04/07/2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 08/29/2016
Flight Time:  369 hours (Total, all aircraft), 236 hours (Total, this make and model), 251 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 73 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 26 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 0 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: CESSNA
Registration: N65903
Model/Series: 182 T
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2004
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 18281501
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 07/12/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3110 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 80 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 2268 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: C91A installed, activated, aided in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: IO-540-AB1A5
Registered Owner: EASY AVIATION LLC
Rated Power: 230 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: MKL, 434 ft msl
Observation Time: 1053 CDT
Distance from Accident Site: 16 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 5°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Temperature/Dew Point: 21°C / 4°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 14 knots, 50°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 30.36 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Destin, FL (DTS)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Destination: Jackson, TN (MKL)
Type of Clearance: IFR
Departure Time: 0730 CDT
Type of Airspace:

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude:  35.320000, -88.950000 (est)

NTSB Identification: ERA17LA019
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, October 09, 2016 in Toone, TN
Aircraft: CESSNA 182, registration: N65903
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On October 9, 2016, about 1050 central daylight time, a Cessna 182T, N65903, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in a field, following a partial loss of engine power during cruise flight near Toone, Tennessee. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated by the private pilot as a personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight that that originated from Destin Executive Airport (DTS), Destin, Florida, about 0730. The flight was destined to McKeller-Sipes Regional Airport (MKL), Jackson, Tennessee.

The pilot reported that while in cruise flight at 4,000 feet mean sea level, nearing the destination airport, an instrument panel warning sounded and the oil pressure indicator was in the red arc; however, the engine was running smoothly. The pilot began to look for airports or fields to divert to and notified air traffic control (ATC) of the abnormal engine indication. The pilot then requested, and ATC approved a direct course to the destination airport. A few minutes later, a light "clanging" noise was heard from the engine and the pilot alerted ATC that the airplane did indeed have an engine problem. The controller then advised the pilot that there was a private airstrip 5 miles west of his position and the pilot attempted to divert to that airstrip. The "clanging" noise grew louder and the engine did not have enough power to reach the private airstrip. The pilot then performed a forced landing in a field. During the landing, the airplane encountered uneven terrain, which collapsed the nosegear.

Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the firewall had sustained damage. The inspector also noted that the engine's No. 3 cylinder had suffered a catastrophic failure.

The engine was retained for further examination.

1 comment:

  1. This pilot did a nice job of getting his plane on the ground. Engine monitor data is also interesting. It seems to have helped give him early notice of situation.

    ReplyDelete