Accident Overview
On January 13, 2022, about 1326 eastern standard time, a Cirrus SR-22, registration N879CD, was substantially damaged during an accident near Lexington, South Carolina. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91.
Pilot's Account
According to the pilot, a preflight inspection revealed no anomalies, and he added one quart of oil. After a run-up, the airplane departed for Charleston Air Force Base/International Airport (CHS) on a VFR flight plan around 1300. About 20 minutes into the flight at 5,500 ft, the pilot observed a red oil annunciator light illuminate, followed by the oil pressure gauge dropping to zero. The engine tachometer was near redline and the engine sounded like it was overspeeding, so the pilot reduced throttle. Shortly thereafter, the engine stopped producing power and smoke emanated from the engine compartment.
Emergency Descent and Parachute Deployment
The pilot radioed air traffic control, declared an emergency, and began searching for a landing area. Over the middle of Lake Murray, he delayed deploying the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) until closer to the shoreline. At 2,000 ft, he deployed CAPS, and the airplane descended slowly to the water. The airplane remained afloat for a few minutes, drifting toward the shore, but then began to float away. The pilot and passenger exited and swam to the shoreline.
Aircraft Damage
Post-recovery examination by an FAA inspector revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and left elevator. The engine had a hole on the top of the crankcase near the No. 6 cylinder.
Engine Examination
Postaccident examination of the engine showed lubrication distress on all crankshaft connecting rod journals. The No. 3 main journal bearing had shifted, blocking oil ports and elongating the crankcase lock slot. The No. 6 connecting rod bearing was fused to the crankshaft journal. The No. 1 cylinder rod bearings were fused together, with the bearing surface smeared and torn. Bearing metal had melted and re-solidified along the edges.
Maintenance History
Review of maintenance logbooks indicated that on December 4, 2015, the No. 2 cylinder was removed, repaired, and reinstalled at tachometer time 1,906.9 hours. The accident occurred at tachometer time 2,420 hours. The engine had a manufacturer-specified time between overhaul of 2,000 hours, but no record of an overhaul existed.