What happened
The pilot, who held approximately 2,900 hours of flight time, reported that the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of engine power while climbing to cruise altitude. Upon detecting the failure, the pilot immediately initiated emergency procedures. The pilot executed a left turn of approximately 130 degrees to identify and proceed toward the most suitable location for an emergency landing.
The investigation
Following the incident, a post-examination of the engine was conducted to determine the mechanical cause of the power loss. Inspectors discovered that the crankshaft had separated between the number 2 and number 3 journals. Notably, the fracture surfaces showed no signs of heat discoloration, which typically indicates overheating prior to failure.
Findings
The investigation identified crankshaft separation as the primary mechanical issue. The absence of heat discoloration on the crankshaft journals suggests that the failure was not caused by thermal stress or overheating during operation. The pilot's actions in managing the emergency situation were documented but no further contributing factors to the mechanical failure were noted in the available records.