Accident Summary
On June 25, 2010, at 1700 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 210D, registration N3973Y, operated by a commercial pilot, experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot executed a forced landing to a field in Robert Moses State Park, Babylon, New York. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan, in visual meteorological conditions. The pilot sustained minor injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight originated from Easton/Newnam Field Airport (ESN), Easton, Maryland, at 1545.
Pilot Statement
The pilot reported that the engine began running rough approximately one hour into the flight. Shortly thereafter, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot notified air traffic control of an emergency landing attempt, landed the airplane in a field adjacent to a parking lot, and the airplane collided with a railing.
Aircraft Examination
Examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane struck a walkway railing, buckling the left wing tip and left aileron. No preimpact mechanical malfunction was found in the airframe or flight control system. The fuel system contained no water or debris. A cursory engine examination found the number four cylinder connecting rod fractured, with the fracture breaching the top of the engine case below that cylinder. The engine sump contained only three quarts of oil, and minimal oil was noted on the windscreen. No oil deposits were present in the engine compartment or on the fuselage.
Engine Examination
The engine was removed for further examination. The oil pump screen had been replaced with an oil filter adapter manufactured by F&M Enterprises, Inc. (patent number 5,291,863). The adapter was installed with a gasket between the pump and adapter; the gasket was torn. The copper crush washer at the top end of the adapter was not crushed. Oil leakage signatures were observed at these two junctions. The crankshaft and counterweight assembly exhibited lubrication distress, thermal damage, and mechanical damage concentrated at the number two, three, four, five, and six connecting rod journals. The number four connecting rod showed thermal and mechanical damage and was fractured through at the base of the I-beam, separating both sections of bearing supports. Fragments of the number four cylinder connecting rod cap exhibited thermal and mechanical damage. The connecting rod bearings showed varying degrees of lubrication distress.
Maintenance Records
Review of the aircraft logbooks did not show evidence of installation or maintenance of the oil filter adapter. The engine had received an annual inspection eight months prior to the accident and had accumulated 18 hours of tachometer time since that inspection. At the annual inspection, the engine was drained and refilled with 10 quarts of oil.