N1833RCessna R182 · 1978

On January 25, 2014, about 1800 central standard time, the pilot of a Cessna R182, N1833R, made a forced landing in a field near Eustis, Nebraska. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane had been purchased by the pilot from Novi Pilots, LLC, of West Broomfield, Michigan, and was being ferried to Centennial Airport (APA) Englewood, Colorado, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Oakland County International Airport (PTK), Pontiac, Michigan, with a refueling stop at Central Nebraska Regional Airport (GRI), Grand Island, Nebraska. The airplane departed GRI about 1730.

According to statements given to a Dawson County sheriff's deputy, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, and contained in his accident report, the pilot stated about 30 minutes after departing GRI, the No. 5 cylinder "went cold," showing no cylinder head (CHT) or exhaust gas (EGT) temperatures. The engine immediately started to vibrate excessively. The pilot turned towards Cozad (CZD), Nebraska, the nearest airport. About 3 minutes later, the engine started to fail as other cylinders started losing temperatures. Ten miles from CZD, the engine lost all power. The pilot landed in a corn field. During the rollout, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane pitched down and rolled slightly to the left. The left wing tip leading edge contacted the ground and the aircraft came to a stop. The airplane came to rest about 200 yards into a cornfield, about 0.4 of a mile north of the intersection of County Roads 750 and 419, and about 200 yards east of County Road 419. The firewall was compromised and the wing spar was bent.

On February 12, 2013, the engine was disassembled and examined at Beegles Aircraft Service, Greeley, Colorado, by the NTSB investigator in charge. The engine was a Lycoming O-540-J3C5D, rated at 235 horsepower. Upon removal of the upper cowling, oil and metal shavings were noted on top of the crankcase. There was a hole on top of the crankcase, between Nos. 2 and 4 cylinders. All of the top and bottom spark plugs were removed. They exhibited normal wear. When the No. 1 cylinder was removed, a threaded stud, similar to a connecting rod cap bolt, was found embedded in the piston head. The No. 3 piston was destroyed, and the connecting rod was bent. The No. 5 piston was seized inside the cylinder. The connecting rod cap was fractured, and there was a large hole in the bottom of the crankcase. On February 24, the oil pan was removed and examined. It contained metal debris. Included in the debris was the remainder of the No. 5 connecting rod cap, a portion of the connecting rod where it attaches to the piston pin, and the piston pin cap.

Examination of the maintenance records disclosed the last annual inspection was accomplished on March 12, 2013, at a tachometer reading of 3,026.8 hours. The last major overhaul was accomplished in January 1993 at a tachometer time of 1,373 hours. At the time of the engine disassembly, the tachometer read 3,069.1 hours, a difference of 1,696.1 hours. The Hobbs meter read 1,806.0 hours. The engine has a recommended time between overhaul of 2,000 hours.