Hard landing Accident Cassutt III M C-FDXO,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 286552
 
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Date:Saturday 19 September 2009
Time:07:15 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic CASS model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Cassutt III M
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: C-FDXO
MSN: 0489
Total airframe hrs:125 hours
Engine model:Teledyne Continental O-200
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Reno, Nevada -   United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:Demo/Airshow/Display
Departure airport:Reno-Stead Airport, NV (KRTS)
Destination airport:Reno-Stead Airport, NV (KRTS)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The pilot was involved in a race and observed the engine begin to overheat. He elected to perform a precautionary landing and adjoined the traffic pattern of the nearby airport. While on the base leg to the runway, the engine stopped producing power and the airplane began to rapidly loose altitude. The airplane landed hard about 50 yards from the approach end of the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe's tubular steel structure. A portion of a connecting rod was located within the debris surrounding the wreckage. An examination of the engine revealed a hole in the crankcase above the Nos. 1 and 2 cylinders. The connecting rod for the No. 2 cylinder was fractured and separated below the piston wrist pin; the piston end rotated freely and the crankshaft end was fractured. The connecting rod pieces exhibited blue discoloration and the fracture surfaces exhibited mechanical peen damage. The crankshaft journal for the cylinder No. 2 connecting rod exhibited a blue discoloration, as did the camshaft journal. The No. 2 connecting rod bearings showed a similar blue discoloration. The oil screen contained magnetic metallic debris.

Probable Cause: The loss of engine power due to failure of the No. 2 connecting rod as a result of operation of the engine at excessive temperatures.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: WPR09LA458
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 5 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB WPR09LA458

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
03-Oct-2022 12:30 ASN Update Bot Added

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