What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2013-12-09 involved an aircraft, registration LX-DIS, at LU.

Engine Failure Leads to Emergency Landing and Nose-Over of Cessna C140 (LX-DIS)

On December 9, 2013, an aircraft (registration LX-DIS) was involved in an aviation accident near LU. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The engine failure was caused by the mechanical failure of a connecting rod bearing, leading to significant internal wear and loss of power. This summary draws on records from the Administration des enquetes techniques, Luxembourg (AET).

A single-engine Cessna C140 experienced engine power loss due to internal component failure, resulting in an emergency landing in a field near Filsdorf, Luxembourg.

What happened

On the afternoon of 9 December 2013, a Cessna C140, registration LX-DIS, was conducting a cross-country flight within Luxembourg airspace. While departing the Luxembourg Control Zone (CTR) heading south, the pilot noticed a drop in oil pressure and a simultaneous increase in oil temperature. Shortly after, engine power began to decrease.

The pilot attempted to troubleshoot by applying carburetor heat, which caused a further drop in RPM, but the oil pressure continued to decline steadily. Realizing that returning to Luxembourg International Airport was not possible, the pilot declared an emergency and performed an off-airport landing in a crop field near the village of Filsdorf. The field surface was wet and muddy. During the landing roll-out, the pilot applied brakes to avoid a road cut ahead; this caused the aircraft to nose over and come to rest in an inverted position. The two occupants escaped without injury.

The investigation

The AET examined the engine and the maintenance history of the aircraft. Post-accident inspections of the Continental C85-12F engine revealed that material from the number 4 connecting rod bearing had melted. Investigators also found metal particles from rod bearings within the engine oil, along with scratch marks on the surfaces of other remaining connecting rod bearings.

The investigation also reviewed the maintenance chronology. In September 2013, an oil analysis had indicated a high content of magnetic ferrous particles, as well as increased copper and iron levels. While the maintenance company initially attributed these findings to wear from a damaged starter motor, the engine was operating under an approved calendar time extension for its Time Between Overhaul (TBO) at the time of the accident.

Findings

The primary cause of the engine power loss was the failure of the number 4 connecting rod bearing, which resulted in melted material and internal engine damage.
The aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, vertical stabilizer, left wing, and strut due to the nose-over during the landing roll.

Probable cause

The engine failure was caused by the mechanical failure of a connecting rod bearing, leading to significant internal wear and loss of power.

2013-12-09: (LX-DIS) — LU