Cessna P210N N34VF

Summary

On 29 January 2018 at about 21:50 local time, a Cessna P210N registered N34VF, operated by Romag Air Services Inc, was involved in an accident near Farmington, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 January 2018 at 21:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Farmington, Pennsylvania, United States

Coordinates

39.7919, -79.4786

Aircraft

Cessna P210N

Registration

N34VF

Category

Airplane

Year built

1979

Engines

1

Operator

Romag Air Services Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gaithersburg → Wheeling

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

ERA18LA072

1 person had minor injuries.

A total loss of engine power due to fatigue failure of the crankshaft drive gear teeth.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During cruise flight in instrument meteorological conditions, the engine lost total power and the commercial pilot performed a forced landing to a field after emerging from the clouds about 300 ft above ground level; the airplane struck trees and a power line, resulting in a loss of control, impact with the ground, and subsequent post-impact fire. Examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft drive gear was missing teeth, the camshaft gears were damaged, and each of the six pistons displayed valve impact damage. It is likely that the missing teeth from the drive gear caused an out-of-alignment condition that led to a cascade of additional damage to the mating timing gear on the camshaft. The improper engagement of the crankshaft drive gear to the camshaft compromised the timing of the entire valvetrain, which resulted in the loss of engine power. Review of the five most recent oil analysis results conducted during the 13 months before the accident revealed elevated levels of iron, chromium, silicon and nickel; elements present in the alloy steel drive gear. These levels were considered elevated relative to the initial oil analysis sample taken about 15 months before the accident. It is likely that the fatigue cracking had begun or become severe enough to alter the composition of the oil; however, there were no material anomalies or significant findings to indicate the gear was deficient. In addition, there were no irregularities discovered with the maintenance history, tolerances, or timing that would preclude eventual failure of the gear, therefore, no definitive cause of the gear failure could be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.