N5279A – Cessna T210 – 2006-01-05 NTSB Accident Report

On January 05, 2006, a Cessna T210 (N5279A) was involved in an incident near Midland, TX. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The loss of engine power due to a connecting rod failure. Contributing factors were the dark night conditions and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

While in cruise flight at an altitude of 6,500 feet, the 1,150-hour commercial pilot noticed a rise in engine oil temperature. The pilot opened the cowl flaps and increased the mixture control, which reduced the EGT and the CHT. Approximately 5 minutes later, the engine started "running rough and sparks appeared from the cowling with loud bangs." The pilot shut-down the engine and extended the landing gear for a forced landing on a road. The airplane was unable to make the road and during the night forced landing in a mesquite covered field, the airplane sustained structural damage. An examination of the engine revealed that several of the engine's connecting rods had failed and the number one piston was found to be eroded.

This incident is documented in NTSB report DFW06CA050. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N5279A.