Accident Details
On April 10, 2016, at 1534 central daylight time, a Cirrus SR20 airplane, registered as N8PY, exited the end of the runway after a precautionary landing at Caldwell Municipal Airport (RWV) in Caldwell, Texas. The private pilot and three passengers were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. It was registered to Second Chance Wings LLC and operated by a private individual under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight operated with visual flight rules flight following.
Pilot Report
According to the pilot, while en route he felt an unusual vibration and noise that seemed to originate from the engine. The engine rpm became erratic, and the airplane became harder to control due to the vibrations. He contacted air traffic control and reported the difficulty. The pilot did not wish to declare an emergency. ATC informed him that the closest airfield (RWV) was 6 miles behind his current direction. As he proceeded to the airport, he reported that the engine "seemed to be starting and stopping" or sputtering. The pilot did not see the airport in time for a straight-in approach, so he circled to land on runway 15. During the circle, the engine sputtering worsened. Prior to touchdown on the 3,252-ft-long runway, the engine sputtered to a stop. The pilot then slipped the airplane to the runway, flared, and touched down with about 60% of the runway remaining (approximately 1,950 ft) at a higher than normal approach speed. The airplane bounced and touched down again near midfield. Despite full braking action, the pilot could not keep the airplane on the runway; it overran and collided with a tree and a fence.
Engine Examination
An examination of the engine revealed that the exhaust pipe had fractured from the No. 5 cylinder. No additional preimpact anomalies were detected with the engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Flight Data Analysis
The airplane was equipped with an Avidyne Primary Flight Display and Multifunction Flight Display. Data recorded by these devices were downloaded and reviewed. On the accident flight, the No. 5 cylinder exhaust gas temperature (EGT) was consistently lower than the other cylinders, while cylinder head temperatures were similar. At 1525:48, No. 5 EGT was 1290° Fahrenheit; at 1525:54, it decreased to 93° F and continued to drop rapidly. Between 1525:54 and 1532:30, engine rpm fluctuated between 2,080 and 2,400, fuel flow varied between 9 and 14 gallons per hour (GPH), and manifold pressure varied between 24 and 26 inches of mercury (inHg). Between 1532:36 and 1533:00, rpm stabilized around 1,890, fuel flow varied between 6 and 8 GPH, and manifold pressure was between 21 and 23 inHg. Between 1533:24 and 1533:54, engine rpm decreased from 1,880 to 1,300, fuel flow remained steady at 2 GPH, and manifold pressure varied from 7 to 12 inHg. Altitude data placed the airplane's touchdown between 1533:42 and 1533:54. At 1534:00, engine rpm was 40, fuel flow was 0, and manifold pressure was 30 inHg.