Accident Overview
On January 23, 2010, at about 1500 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 182C airplane, registration N8948T, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Reno, Nevada. The airplane was registered to Alpine Aviation Partners LLC of Reno and operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which originated from Reno-Stead Airport (4SD) at about 1415.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that during cruise flight, the airplane experienced a significant shake similar to a small strike. After verifying his instruments, the pilot noticed manifold pressure jumping and felt that the engine was losing power. He applied carburetor heat, checked the fuel selector handle, reduced engine power, and initiated a precautionary landing to a road. During the descent and on a base leg to the selected landing area, the engine failed completely. Despite attempts, the engine would not restart and the propeller would not move. The pilot landed on an unoccupied road. During the landing roll, the airplane struck a ditch and nosed over.
Aircraft Damage Examination
Examination of the airplane revealed oil on both sides of the fuselage and wing flaps. The top portion of the vertical stabilizer and rudder were bent and buckled. Buckling in the fuselage was observed just forward of the empennage.
Engine Examination
The Continental O-470-L engine, serial number 82178-4-L, was examined at Teledyne Continental Motors under the supervision of the Safety Board investigator-in-charge. The number one connecting rod exhibited extreme thermal and mechanical damage and was fractured at the base of the I-beam; its cap fragments showed similar damage. The number two connecting rod also exhibited extreme thermal and mechanical damage, with distorted bearing supports and a deformed cap. The oil sump had impact damage and contained about five quarts of dark oil with portions of what appeared to be a paper towel and fragments of damaged internal components. The oil pickup tube was intact and undamaged but was restricted with a paper-towel-like material. The crankcase had exterior damage above the number two cylinder bay; the number one and two cylinder bays had mechanical damage displacing intake lifter bore material. The remaining cylinder bays were intact. Main bearing support mating surfaces showed no fretting or tang lock-slot elongation, and no bearing movement or rotation. Oil galleys and passages were clear and unrestricted.
Lubrication distress was observed: the rear crankshaft main bearing had thermal smearing; the number two intermediate main bearings had thermal smearing exposing copper; the number three intermediate and front main bearings had imbedded contamination.
Engine Service History
The pilot reported that the engine had a total time in service of 3,039 hours, with 993 hours since last overhaul.