What happened
On January 12, 2012, a private Cessna 185, registration HK-1166G, was conducting a general aviation flight from Guapi to Popayán. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and three passengers. After reaching an altitude of approximately 9,500 feet, the engine suffered a total loss of power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine twice without success and declared an emergency via the Cali control frequency, reporting the aircraft's position near Timbiqui.
As the aircraft continued to lose altitude, the pilot executed an emergency landing in a forested area of Cerro Manchique, in the Department of Cauca. The aircraft struck surrounding trees before colliding with the terrain at low speed. The impact caused severe structural damage to the fuselage, wings, and control surfaces, leaving the aircraft suspended in the trees in a near-inverted position. The pilot and all three passengers sustained 3 serious injuries, but no fatalities occurred. Search and rescue teams from the Colombian Air Force located the occupants the following morning.
The investigation
The GRIAA investigation focused on the mechanical failure of the Continental 10-520-L engine. Post-accident inspections revealed that the engine had suffered internal mechanical damage, including broken engine mounts, a deformed oil sump, and metal shavings found in the oil filter and oil pan.
Investigators examined the engine's maintenance history and found that while the aircraft had undergone recent 100-hour inspections, there was no documented evidence of a recent overhaul. The investigation identified that the crankshaft was a non-VAR type and had been subjected to fatigue. Furthermore, the investigation noted a lack of traceability regarding the engine's total time since the last overhaul, suggesting the engine may have exceeded its recommended service life without proper documentation or adherence to applicable service bulletins.