Cessna U206E N9455G

Summary

On 1 July 1992 at about 16:00 local time, a Cessna U206E registered N9455G, operated by Combined Energies Corp, was involved in an accident near Mayer, Arizona, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 July 1992 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Mayer, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

34.3391, -112.0301

Aircraft

Cessna U206E

Registration

N9455G

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Combined Energies Corp

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Phoenix → Ely

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX92LA273

Nobody was injured.

THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE DUE TO THE SLIPPAGE OF THE NUMBER 2 MAIN BEARING AND THE RESULTANT OIL STARVATION FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 2 CONNECTING ROD. THE NUMBER 2 MAIN BEARING SLIPPAGE WAS CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT/OWNER TO OVERHAUL THE ENGINE IN A TIMELY FASHION WHEN INTERNAL WEAR PATTERNS INDICATED THAT A POTENTIAL BEARING PROBLEM EXISTED. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNSUITABLE NATURE OF THE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE ENGINE QUIT WITH A LOUD BANG ABOUT 15 MINUTES INTO THE CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A SMALL PASTURE. THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED ROUGH TERRAIN DURING THE LANDING ROLL OUT AND NOSED OVER. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER 2 MAIN BEARING HAD SPUN, CLOSING OFF THE INTERNAL OIL PASSAGE IN THE CRANKSHAFT AND JOURNAL. THE ENGINE SUSTAINED A RESULTING OIL STARVATION FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 2 AND 3 CONNECTING RODS. REVIEW OF THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS ESTABLISHED THAT A MAINTENANCE FACILITY HAD FOUND A LARGE AMOUNT OF METAL PARTICLES IN THE OIL 40 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY WARNED THE PILOT ABOUT THE EXCESSIVE INTERNAL ENGINE WEAR, RECOMMENDING 'FURTHER INSPECTION PRIOR TO FLIGHT.' NO CORRECTIVE ACTION ENTRIES WERE NOTED IN THE LOGBOOK. THE ENGINE WAS FOUND TO HAVE ACCRUED 1,520 HOURS SINCE OVERHAUL. THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDS A TIME BETWEEN OVERHAUL INTERVAL OF 1,700 HOURS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.