Cessna 182Q N982NC

Summary

On 7 April 2023 at about 21:48 local time, a Cessna 182Q registered N982NC, operated by IAL Corp, was involved in an accident near Gardner, Kansas, United States. 2 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

7 April 2023 at 21:48

Classification

Accident

Location

Gardner, Kansas, United States

Coordinates

38.8068, -94.9567

Aircraft

Cessna 182Q

Registration

N982NC

Category

Airplane

Year built

1980

Engines

1

Operator

IAL Corp

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Olathe → Benton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN23LA149

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power due to failure of the No. 6 connecting rod as a result of detonation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that, about 30 minutes after takeoff, he observed a subtle but abnormal engine vibration, and he began to return to the departure airport. The pilot reported that all engine indications were normal with the exception of one cylinder that displayed a high cylinder head temperature, but he could not recall which one. The engine subsequently lost total power, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field, during which the airplane nosed over and incurred substantial damage. Examination of the engine revealed that the No. 6 connecting rod was separated from the crankshaft. Removal of the cylinders and pistons revealed damage due to detonation. Borescope examination revealed that the No. 5 piston was melted on the intake side and displayed evidence of severe detonation. Damage to the skirt of cylinder No. 6 prevented removal of the piston. All of the intake and exhaust valves and associated pushrods were intact with no damage noted, and there were no other anomalies detected during the engine examination. An interview of the mechanic who had performed recent maintenance revealed that all six cylinders were replaced with new or repaired units 90.7 flight hours beforethe accident. The mechanic stated that he had not performed a cold valve clearance check when the cylinders were installed. Since the engine could not be rotated, it was not possible to determine the valve clearance after the accident; however, it is unlikely that any valve clearance anomaly, if it had existed before the accident, would have resulted in the partial and then total loss of engine power. The vibration and high cylinder head temperature reported by the pilot are consistent with detonation, which likely led to the failure of the No. 6 connecting rod and a total loss of engine power; however, the reason for the detonation could not be determined based on the available information.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.