On September 15, 1988, a Cessna 206 (registration N71001) was involved in an aviation accident near Glade Park, CO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Failure of the #1 rod assembly due to fatigue fractures, resulting in total engine stoppage. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A commercial pilot transporting one passenger experienced an engine failure due to a fractured rod assembly, executed an emergency landing on a park service road, and struck power lines but landed without damage.
Incident Details
During an air taxi flight with one passenger aboard, the commercial pilot reported that the engine began to run rough and lost oil pressure. The pilot stated that the engine subsequently seized. He turned the aircraft toward the east to perform an emergency landing on a park service road. The pilot noted that the sun prevented him from seeing power lines crossing the road. On final approach, the aircraft's main landing gear struck the power wires, but the aircraft landed without damage.
Engine Examination and Analysis
A post-accident examination of the engine conducted by an FAA airworthiness inspector revealed evidence that the #1 rod assembly had failed, resulting in a total engine stoppage. The broken components were analyzed by the NTSB Materials Laboratory. The analysis disclosed evidence typical of fatigue fractures in the rod assembly.
Probable cause
Failure of the #1 rod assembly due to fatigue fractures, resulting in total engine stoppage.
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