SANFORD, NC, USA
N58469
CESSNA 182
WHILE CRUISING AT 4000 FEET THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND ESTABLISHED A CIRCULAR PATTERN TO A COTTOM FIELD. AS HE DESCENDED THROUGH 3500 FEET SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE COWLING AND SOME CAME INTO THE COCKPIT AREA. THE PILOT CONTINUED THE APPROACH TO THE FIELD, BUT FAILED TO EXTEND THE WING FLAPS. THE AIRPLANE FLIPPED OVER ABOUT 300 FEET FROM THE TOUCHDOWN POINT. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THERE WAS A 6 INCH HOLE IN THE ENGINE CASE BETWEEN THE NO. 1 AND THE NO.3 CYLINDERS. THE NO. 1 PISTON HAD DISINTEGRATED. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION FAILED TO DETERMINE THE MODE OF THE PISTON FAILURE. THE OWNER CONFIRMED THAT A TOP OVERHAUL HAD BEEN COMPLETED ABOUT 500 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. A REVIEW OF THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE OWNER HAD NOT ENSURED THAT ALL MAINTENANCE ENTRIES WERE COMPLETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH CURRENT FARS.
THE FAILURE OF THE NO.1 PISTON, FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, WHICH RESULTED IN A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS, THE FORCED LANDING IN A SOFT FIELD.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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