Accident Overview
On July 15, 2022, at 1245 eastern daylight time, a Cessna T210F, registration N6195R, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Monticello, New York. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
Flight History
The pilot reported that he conducted an uneventful flight earlier in the day from Maine to Sussex County Airport (FWN), Sussex, New Jersey, to fly a potential buyer in the airplane, which he was selling. After a short flight, the pilot dropped off the potential buyer at FWN and planned to fly to Sullivan County International Airport (MSV), Monticello, New York, for fuel before returning home to Maine.
Engine Failure and Emergency Landing
While beginning a descent into MSV, the engine lost power and began making noises. The pilot verified the fuel quantity and mixture setting, estimating that 10 gallons of fuel remained in each tank. He switched fuel tanks, but the power loss continued. Subsequently, he began searching for a landing location. The pilot then heard an explosion-like sound from the engine. The oil service door blew open and began spewing oil and smoke, covering the windscreen. Smoke then entered the cabin. The pilot reported extending the wing flaps and landing gear but did not have time to verify extension. He identified a field as an emergency landing site. As the airplane approached the field at about 200 ft above the ground, the pilot saw high-voltage power lines crossing the field and repositioned the airplane for a landing on a road. After landing, the airplane caught fire, and the pilot egressed before the cockpit was consumed.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the landing gear did not extend. The engine had a large section of the crankcase missing from the forward left side. The No. 6 connecting rod was lying on top of the engine, and the crankshaft and camshaft were fractured. Further examination showed that the engine was thermally damaged. The spark plug wires were burnt. The oil filter was thermally damaged; when cut open, metal shavings were noted in the filter element. The fuel pump was thermally damaged, but the shear shaft was unremarkable. The oil pump was impact damaged and could not be rotated. The turbocharger was thermally damaged but rotated freely. Both magnetos were thermally damaged and would not produce spark on any leads. The oil pan was melted away and missing. The crankshaft and camshaft were fractured at the No. 5 cylinder. The propeller, oil cooler, and front section of the camshaft and crankshaft were fractured off the engine. The spark plugs exhibited normal wear. The cylinder skirts on cylinder Nos. 5 and 6 were damaged by the corresponding connecting rod failures, and the cylinders could not be removed. The connecting rod for cylinder No. 5 was missing. The No. 6 connecting rod was thermally damaged and discolored. The fuel flow divider was thermally damaged, and the diaphragm was melted. The propeller was thermally damaged, and one blade tip was melted away.
Maintenance History
Review of the airplane’s maintenance logbooks revealed that 105 and 106 flight hours before the accident (about 5 months), engine through-bolt nuts were removed and resealed due to oil leaks.