Accident Summary
On February 28, 2016, at approximately 1200 eastern standard time, a Cessna 182K, registration N2816R, experienced a total loss of engine power while approaching Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV) in Gainesville, Florida. The commercial pilot and a passenger incurred minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged during the subsequent forced landing on a road. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE) around 1000 and was a personal cross-country flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Preflight and Flight
According to the pilot, a preflight inspection was performed, during which 1 quart of oil was added to the engine, bringing the total to 8 quarts. An engine run-up revealed no anomalies. The takeoff, climb, and initial descent were described as "uneventful." The pilot was cleared to land on runway 7 when the engine began to run roughly. Attempts to smooth the engine by enriching the mixture and then reducing power were unsuccessful. The engine began shaking, oil sprayed onto the windscreen, and then a total loss of power occurred. The pilot declared an emergency and elected to land on a road. After touchdown, the left wing struck a palm tree, and the airplane came to rest on the road.
Postaccident Examination
Postaccident inspection revealed substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Removal of the engine cowling disclosed a hole in the top of the crankcase near the No. 4 cylinder, and the No. 4 cylinder connecting rod was found on top of the engine. The engine was retained for further examination. According to Federal Aviation Administration records, the aircraft was manufactured in 1967 and registered to the pilot/owner in 2014. It was equipped with a Continental Motors IO-550 D series, 300-hp engine installed in February 2000 under a supplemental type certificate. The engine had accumulated 2,135 total hours since rebuild in 1999, with approximately 130 hours since the last annual inspection on November 3, 2015. The most recent oil change occurred about 32 flight hours prior. Engine manufacturer guidance recommended a time-based overhaul at 1,700 flight hours or every 12 years.
Engine Disassembly
The engine was examined at the manufacturer's facility under NTSB oversight. Cylinders exhibited normal operating signatures and combustion deposits. The intake and exhaust valve faces and seats showed full contact, and valve guides had normal wear. All piston heads had normal combustion deposits, but the Nos. 4 and 5 pistons showed impact damage, and the No. 4 piston was fractured. Disassembly revealed that the Nos. 4 and 5 connecting rods had separated from the crankshaft at their respective journals. The Nos. 4 and 5 journals displayed discoloration and heat damage consistent with oil starvation. Oil galleys and passages in the crankshaft were clear. The oil sump contained impact damage at the forward section, along with an unmeasured amount of oil and metal particles. The oil filter, removed and disassembled, also contained metal particles. The crankcase had exterior damage concentrated at the No. 4 cylinder, with mechanical damage to cylinder bays Nos. 4 and 5 and portions missing above the No. 4 cylinder. Main bearing support mating surfaces were intact with no signs of fretting or bearing movement, and oil galleys in both crankcase halves were clear and unrestricted.
Data Recorder Analysis
The aircraft was equipped with a JPI engine data monitor that recorded parameters including fuel flow, exhaust gas temperature, cylinder head temperature, oil temperature, fuel used, battery voltage, and outside air temperature. Data from the accident flight indicated that the flight was uneventful until approximately 1156, when oil temperature began a steady increase. Over the next four minutes, oil temperature rose and peaked at 202 degrees Fahrenheit before data recording ended. The cockpit engine instruments specified a "DO NOT EXCEED" oil temperature of 225 degrees Fahrenheit, with the normal operating range below that value.