Accident Details
On June 8, 2010, at approximately 2039 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 210L, registration N2263S, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a vacant football field near a school in Tampa, Florida. The airplane was operated by Flight Express Inc. under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 as a cargo flight. The flight originated from Tampa International Airport (TPA) about 5 minutes prior. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that after takeoff, at an altitude between 800 and 1,000 feet above ground level, a loud bang was heard, engine rpm increased, and oil pressure decreased. He advised the tower controller at TPA that the flight needed to return but did not initially declare an emergency. As engine rpm decreased, the pilot declared an emergency. At 600 feet agl, the engine stopped producing power, and the pilot executed a forced landing to an athletic field. During the approach, the airplane struck a chain link fence and came to rest upright in a left wing low attitude.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine and multiengine land and instrument airplane. He also held a flight instructor certificate. A first-class medical certificate was issued on May 18, 2010, with no limitations. The pilot reported 1,330 hours of total flight experience, with 10.2 hours in the accident make and model.
Weather
Weather reported at TPA at 2053 included wind from 070 degrees at 8 knots, gusting to 18 knots, 10 miles visibility, few clouds at 6,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet, temperature 30°C, dew point 19°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.04 inches of mercury.
Aircraft Damage and Examination
An FAA inspector noted that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage during the forced landing. The aircraft was recovered to the operator's hangar at TPA for further examination.
Engine Examination
Post-accident examination of the engine revealed that continuity could not be obtained by manual rotation of the crankshaft flange. Both magnetos produced spark on all towers when rotated by hand. Spark plugs exhibited normal wear with light grey electrodes. Fuel was present in the fuel lines, fuel manifold, and fuel pump, and all fuel lines and nozzles were unobstructed. The oil sump contained metal particles, and the oil filter had metal shavings and particles. All cylinders were removed, and no abnormalities were noted in their pistons, intake valves, or exhaust valves.
The crankcase halves were separated, revealing damage to main bearing supports, mating surfaces, and tang-lock slots. The No.2 main bearing saddle surfaces exhibited fretting, and portions of the No.2 main bearing were found in the oil sump. The crankshaft was removed and examined; it had fractured between the No.2 main journal and the cheek at the aft end of the journal. The No.2 connecting rod did not move freely on the crankshaft connecting rod journal. All other journals appeared intact with no indication of hard particle passage.
Components including the crankshaft, main bearings, connecting rods, and camshaft were sent to the Safety Board Materials Laboratory. Examination revealed a fatigue fracture through the crankshaft adjacent to the No.2 main journal. According to the Materials Laboratory Factual Report, fatigue features originated at the surface in the fillet between the No.2 journal and the cheek at the aft side. The origin area was smooth and shiny with small ratchet lines radiating outward. The No.2 journal and fillet radii had circumferential scoring consistent with abnormal bearing contact, such as from a shifted bearing. The No.2 main journal had a light gold tint without dark discoloration.
Logbook History
Engine logbooks showed that on December 5, 2007, a magnaflux and ultrasonic inspection of the crankshaft found no defects. The engine was overhauled on December 14, 2007, at a tach time of 2069.6 hours. The No.2 cylinder was removed and replaced on April 13, 2010, at a tach time of 2982.4 hours, approximately 115.2 hours before the accident. The most recent logbook entry was a 100-hour inspection on May 27, 2010, at a tach time of 3078.3 hours, which included checking bolts and nuts for looseness. At the time of the accident, the tach time was 3097.8 hours.