Accident Overview
On November 24, 2021, at 1746 eastern standard time, a Cessna T210R, registration N6209U, was destroyed in an accident near Grove City, Pennsylvania. The private pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The aircraft was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Flight History
The flight originated from Westchester County Airport (HPN) in White Plains, New York, en route to Akron Fulton Airport (AKR) in Akron, Ohio, a distance of about 350 nautical miles. Approximately two hours into the flight, the pilot, who was also the aircraft owner, diverted to Clarion County Airport (AXQ) in Clarion, Pennsylvania, due to a reported oil pressure issue.
Events at Clarion County Airport
Witnesses at AXQ reported that after landing, the pilot requested 6 quarts of oil. He indicated he believed the oil pressure issue was caused by the oil filler cap not being properly secured, resulting in oil loss through the dipstick tube. One witness noted that the airplane was “covered in oil,” with oil present on the empennage, lower fuselage, and engine cowl. The pilot and passenger, who was also an aircraft mechanic, cleaned the airplane with rags, added 6 quarts of new oil, and decided to resume the flight. During the subsequent engine start, a witness, a helicopter mechanic, heard the engine making “abnormal cracking and popping” noises. The pilot taxied to the runway end and departed without performing an engine run-up.
Inflight Emergency and Crash
After departure, the pilot contacted air traffic control, climbed to 4,500 feet mean sea level (msl), and requested visual flight rules flight following to AKR, about 95 nautical miles west. About 15 minutes after takeoff, at 1739, the pilot reported a loss of engine power and requested assistance. The controller directed him to land at Grove City Airport (29D), Grove City, Pennsylvania, at the airplane’s 12 o’clock position and 8 miles away. A few minutes later, the controller suggested an alternative landing site at a nearby outlet mall if the airport was unreachable. Shortly after the pilot reported the airport in sight, at 1744, he stated he did not think he could reach the airport. Communications and radar contact were lost at 1746. A security video at the airport showed the airplane’s landing light during the approach; the light descended rapidly and disappeared behind terrain, followed by an explosion.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane impacted trees and steep terrain at an elevation of about 1,200 feet msl, approximately 1.5 miles from the approach end of runway 28 at 29D. The initial tree impact was about 250 feet from the main wreckage, which came to rest on a 35° incline against several trees. A 24-inch section of the left wingtip was found near the initial tree impact, and several broken branches were observed atop a roughly 75-foot-tall pine tree. A post-impact fire consumed the fuselage and cockpit area, destroying the instrument panel and all associated instrumentation, gauges, and electronic devices. The empennage separated during impact, but the vertical and horizontal stabilizers, rudder, and elevators remained attached. Oil residue was observed on the underside of the empennage, left stabilizer, and elevator. Flight control cables exhibited breaks consistent with overload. Several portions of the left wing were located along the wreckage path and near the main wreckage. The right wing was damaged by impact forces and fire. Aileron control cables were traced to the cockpit through breaks in the cables that were consistent with overload. There was no indication of any airframe anomaly or condition that would have precluded normal operation.
Engine Examination
The factory-remanufactured engine was installed on May 16, 2012, and had accumulated about 350 hours total time since installation. The engine was partially separated from the main wreckage but remained attached to the engine mounts and firewall. The three-blade propeller and spinner remained attached to the crankshaft flange. Two propeller blades were bent aft uniformly; the third was bent aft with severe gouges and scrapes on the upper surface and leading edge of the blade tip, but little chordwise scraping was observed on all three blades. The propeller spinner was crushed uniformly from front to aft with no evidence of rotational damage.
The engine showed evidence of significant heat exposure but was relatively intact. The turbocharger displayed static impact impressions consistent with contact from the compressor wheel, with no rotational damage to the blades or housing. Top spark plugs were removed: the No. 5 spark plug electrode was damaged and covered with oil; Nos. 2 and 3 spark plugs were covered with oil; the remaining spark plugs were intact and showed minimal wear compared to the Champion Check-A-Plug chart.
Two holes were observed on the top of the engine crankcase. One hole, forward of the No. 5 cylinder, was about 2 inches in diameter. The second hole, adjacent to the No. 4 cylinder, was about 3 inches in diameter. The No. 4 cylinder connecting rod was separated from the crankshaft. The No. 5 cylinder piston was fragmented into small pieces, with the piston pin still installed in the connecting rod. The oil filler cap was securely installed.
The two through-bolts connecting cylinders Nos. 4 and 5 were missing nuts on the right side of the engine, and the bolt threads exhibited thermal damage. The two through-bolts connecting cylinders Nos. 2 and 3 were missing nuts on the left side of the engine, and the bolts showed signs of thermal damage. Half of a nut was discovered in debris under the No. 3 cylinder, showing signs of thermal damage and was brittle when handled. Disassembly and examination of the crankshaft revealed that the main journal bearings showed evidence of polishing and metal-to-metal contact.