Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Arcadia, Florida 33821
Wednesday, March 3, 2010 14:35 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

About 25 minutes into a cross-country flight, the airplane lost all engine power, and the pilot made an emergency landing in a field. The airplane collided with a power line pole and was consumed by a postcrash fire. Disassembly and examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft separated at the forward end of the No. 2 connecting rod journal. According to laboratory analysis, the fatigue fracture of the crankshaft was due to bearing wear and bearing shift. The maintenance records were destroyed by the postcrash fire, and no other history on the engine was obtained.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The total loss of engine power due to a fatigue fracture of the crankshaft resulting from worn bearings.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/3/2010
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1435
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Arcadia
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33821
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 271131N
Event Location Longitude 0815014W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1353 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PGD
Elevation of weather observation facility 26
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 21
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 26
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.93
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29937
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern Region C-ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 20 2012 7:36PM
User who most recently changed record snyg
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4797K
NTSB Number ERA10LA159
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model P210N
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number P21000324
Certified Max Gross Weight 2303
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 4
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 3292
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name MCDERMOTT WAYNE E
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City SULLIVAN
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 53178-9670
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name MCDERMOTT WAYNE E
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City SULLIVAN
Operator State WI
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 53178-9670
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FL59
Departure City Fort Myers
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LHW
Destination City Hinesville
Destination State GA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 18 2012 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record gots
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --