Cessna P210N N731QV

Summary

On 15 October 2014 at about 22:25 local time, a Cessna P210N registered N731QV was involved in an accident near West Memphis, Arkansas, United States. One person was 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

15 October 2014 at 22:25

Classification

Accident

Location

West Memphis, Arkansas, United States

Nearest airport

West Memphis Muni (AWM)

Coordinates

35.1350, -90.2344

Aircraft

Cessna P210N

Registration

N731QV

Category

Airplane

Year built

1980

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

West Memphis → West Memphis

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN15LA015

Nobody was injured.

A catastrophic engine failure due to an oil starvation event for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Shortly after takeoff, the manifold pressure dropped. The private pilot then turned the airplane back to the airport. He saw smoke coming from under the engine cowl, and the engine stopped producing power while the airplane was on short final and about 800 ft above ground level. The airplane impacted power lines before landing in a grassy area short of the runway. Holes were observed in the top of the engine crankcase. Disassembly of the engine revealed all the crankshaft's connecting rod journals and connecting rods displayed signs of thermal distress and discoloration associated with engine operation without sufficient oil. All six cylinder bays exhibited mechanical damage consistent with an oil starvation event. The engine and component examinations did not identify any anomalies that would have precipitated an oil starvation event and subsequent engine failure. The No. 2 piston was fractured into numerous pieces. The area adjacent to the broken connecting rod displayed surface coloration and oxide formation consistent with exposure to very high temperatures. The engine had experienced a previous "hydraulic lock" event about 1 1/2 years before the accident, but it could not be determined if damage sustained during that event caused the catastrophic failure of the No. 2 piston.  

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.