Cessna 205 EC-GQB Accident in Yeste, Spain

Accident Overview and Flight Details On 22 March 2014, a Cessna 205 with registration EC-GQB departed from the Aeronáutica Delgado maintenance center in Villarrubia, Córdoba, at 16:30 local time. The aircraft was operating a private general aviation flight to its base at Ontur aerodrome in Albacete, where it was dedicated to parachute jumping operations. The flight carried one pilot and one passenger. ## Engine Failure and Emergency Landing Approximately one hour into the flight, while cruising at around 8,000 feet, the engine experienced a sudden loss of power and a drop in oil pressure. The cabin quickly filled with smoke and the smell of burnt oil, prompting the pilot to initiate an emergency landing. The pilot selected a cultivated field in La Donal, within the municipality of Yeste, Albacete. During the landing, the aircraft overturned and came to rest inverted. ## Casualties and Damage Both the pilot and the passenger sustained minor injuries and evacuated the aircraft through a window. The aircraft sustained significant damage, primarily to the left wing and its strut, the vertical stabilizer and rudder, the fuselage behind the cabin, the nose gear, and the propeller. Oil was observed along the lower fuselage beneath the engine. ## Investigation Findings The investigation determined that the accident was caused by a lack of adequate and effective lubrication in the number 2 crankpin bearing assembly, possibly due to bearing degradation. This failure led to the fracture of the number 2 connecting rod and subsequent complete engine failure. The investigation ruled out lubrication system blockages, oil specification non-compliance, and the influence of pre-flight maintenance. A contributing factor was the failure to reduce the time between general overhauls, despite the aircraft's use for parachute jumping and the installation of non-manufacturer engine parts, conditions highlighted in the manufacturer's Service Information Letter SIL 98-9C.