Accident Overview
On November 13, 2015, at approximately 0910 eastern standard time, a Cirrus SR22 (registration N334CM) was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a total loss of engine power near Jefferson, North Carolina. The private pilot and a passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight destined for Lancaster Airport (LNS), Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The flight originated from Dekalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK), Atlanta, Georgia, about 0800.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an instrument rating and a third-class medical certificate issued May 22, 2012. He reported 335 total flight hours, including 273 hours in the accident airplane make and model. The aircraft was a Cirrus SR22 originally issued an airworthiness certificate on June 9, 2004, and registered to the current owner on December 26, 2012. It was powered by a Continental IO-550-N engine and a three-bladed Hartzell propeller. The most recent annual inspection was conducted on July 29, 2015, with a recorded time in service of 2,559.0 hours. The engine had been overhauled on May 4, 2015, and had accumulated 112.1 total hours at the time of the accident.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported that after nearly one hour of cruise flight at 11,500 feet, the autopilot began increasing pitch to maintain altitude while manifold air pressure decreased. Engine rpm and oil pressure remained normal. As altitude was lost, the manifold pressure gauge needle began shaking. The pilot increased throttle, but no change in power or rpm occurred. He diverted to the nearest airport, Ashe County Airport (GEV), Jefferson, North Carolina. The airplane was high over the airport, and the pilot circled three times to lose altitude. During the last turn to final approach, stronger-than-expected headwinds prevented the airplane from reaching the runway as the engine had lost all power. The pilot deployed the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), and the airplane descended into a field.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination at the accident site revealed damaged firewall, crushed engine cowlings, and bent propeller blades. The airframe and engine were moved to a recovery facility for testing. Fuel drained from the accident site was used for an engine run. The engine started after one to two revolutions of the propeller, with oil pressure at 59 psi, which decreased slightly after warm-up. The engine ran at 1,000 rpm for 4 to 5 minutes before being shut down to replace manifold air pressure and fuel flow gauges. After restart, all gauges functioned normally. The engine was not run at high power due to fractured engine mounts, but no discrepancies were noted that would have prevented it from reaching its designed rated horsepower.
The engine was then shipped to the manufacturer for a full power test. It was secured to an engine run stand with a three-bladed propeller. The engine started immediately, idled to warm up, and was run at various power settings from idle to full power. All parameters were within manufacturer specifications. After approximately 30 minutes of run time, the engine was shut down with no anomalies noted.