What happened
On 21 October 2002, a Cessna T210G, registered ZS-EWY, was conducting a private flight from Wonderboom (FAWB) toward Upington (FAUP) with a pilot and two passengers on board. While flying en-route near Sannieshof, the crew heard an unusual noise, which was followed by a progressive loss of engine power. The pilot contacted Johannesburg Information to declare the situation and declared an intention to divert to Delareyville for an emergency landing.
During the descent toward the airfield, the aircraft experienced a bird strike on the right-hand wing, though this impact did not result in significant structural damage. As the aircraft established itself on the downwind leg for runway 22 at Delareyville, a second loud noise occurred, accompanied by oil spraying onto the windscreen. Shortly thereafter, the engine suffered a complete failure. The aircraft landed safely, and all zero fatalities and zero injuries were reported, though the engine cowlings sustained minor damage.
The investigation
Investigators examined the engine following the landing to determine the source of the power loss and the subsequent oil spray. The inspection revealed that a cylinder had become dislodged from the engine assembly. The investigation established that the failure originated from a cylinder through-bolt failure, which subsequently caused the total destruction of the engine.
Records indicated that the engine had accumulated 1193.9 hours of operation since its last overhaul and had flown 54.3 hours since its most recent periodic inspection. The pilot was found to be operating with a valid private license, a current medical certificate, and the appropriate type rating.