N776P

On January 2, 1994, about 2223 eastern standard time, a Cessna 206A, N776P, piloted by Terry Brown, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near the Williamsburg Airport, Williamsburg, Virginia. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A visual flight rules flight plan had been filed for the flight operating under 14 CFR 91.

In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated that during his preflight he confirmed there were 11 quarts of oil in the engine. After a long warm-up due to the cold temperature, he departed the Williamsburg Airport (JGG) and climbed to 4500 feet.

About 15 minutes after take off, as he was preparing to file a flight plan, "...an instant decrease in power was noticed."

He further stated:

A turn was made to return to the A/P [airport] at JGG...there was an explosion from the front left side of the engine (all the flames came out there). I was approaching water...and did not want to shut down so [I] kept engine on line, 30-45 seconds later a second explosion took place, this time fire came out right front and oil pressure was lost. I still needed whatever I would get and kept the engine operating. The cockpit filled with smoke and the third explosion took place with fire coming out of the engine compartment. I secured the engine and fuel...I was not going to make the A/P, but remembered a road south west of JGG, and...set up a pattern, and landed. Evading wires on short final I dodged the tree on the right...over input left aileron and put the left wing into a tree...and ended up going backward nose-low."

An engine examination was performed by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector and a representative of Teledyne Continental Motors on January 11, 1994, at the JGG Airport. The Teledyne representative report stated:

The engine failure was induced by the failure of the #2 cylinder exhaust valve. This valve dropped into the cylinder and the severe hammering opened a hole in the piston. Combustion gases evacuated the oil through the breather and the #4 and #5 connecting rods failed at the crankshaft journals after lubrication failure. The relative damage to the connecting rods suggest the connecting rod of the #5 cylinder (right front) failed first followed by the connecting rod of the #4 cylinder (middle left)...The exhaust valve, which may have been replaced at an engine overhaul 440 hours earlier, was a Superior valve, P/N SA 6438737-7998....