N3889DCessna 182A · 1957

On June 10, 2018, about 1234 Atlantic Standard time, a Cessna 182, N3889D, was substantially damaged during a forced landing after it experienced a total loss of engine power shortly after takeoff from the Antonio (Nery) Juarbe Pol Airport (ABO), Arecibo, Puerto Rico. The pilot was seriously injured, and the four passengers sustained minor injuries. The airplane was privately owned and operated by Skydive Puerto Rico as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 skydiving flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight that had just departed ABO.The pilot stated that shortly after takeoff from runway 8, about 275 ft above the ground, he made a left turn to avoid descending jumpers. While in the turn, the airplane started to vibrate, and the engine made a "clicking" sound while losing power. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and made a forced landing to a field. The airplane flipped over, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall, fuselage, right wing strut, and vertical stabilizer/rudder. The propeller was also damaged.

A postaccident examination of the engine by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed the crankshaft was fractured. Preparation was made to have the engine removed from the airframe and shipped to the manufacturer. Due to the limited availability of resources in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, there was a delay in having the engine shipped. During this time, and unbeknownst to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the engine was sold while the investigation was still on-going. The FAA was able to locate the engine in Puerto Rico and the new owner assisted in having the engine shipped to the manufacture in Mobile, Alabama, where the engine was disassembled and examined under the supervision of the NTSB.

The examination revealed the crankshaft was fractured at the No. 3 cheek just forward of the No. 2 connecting rod and aft of the No. 2 main crankshaft journal. The No. 2 main bearing was displaced from its saddle and was severely worn. The head of the No. 2 cylinder's connecting rod bolt was fractured and not recovered. The crankcase web mating surfaces at the Nos. 2, 3, and No. 4 bearing saddles exhibited pitting consistent with fretting. The fractured ends of the crankshaft were examined at the NTSB Materials Laboratory. The examination revealed the fracture surfaces were consistent with fatigue cracking.

A review of the engine logbook revealed the engine was last overhauled on October 2, 1997, about 21 years prior to the accident. According to the Continental Standard Practice Maintenance Manual, the recommended time between overhauls for this model engine was 1,500 hours or 12 years. At the time of the accident, the engine had accrued a total of 2,821.2 hours and 1,111.2 hours since major overhaul.

Further review of the engine logbook revealed the engine was removed from the airplane on September 15, 2017, "due to excessive camshaft and lifter wear." A work order associated with this repair stated that the engine's camshaft and lifters were replaced at a tachometer time of 2,541 hours and 831 hours since overhaul (280 hours prior to the accident.). On January 5, 2018, at 965 hours since overhaul (146.2 hours prior to the accident), the No. 4 cylinder was removed and reinstalled after the piston rings were staggered. The engine underwent two additional 100-hour inspections, with the last being completed on June 5, 2018, at an engine time of 1,087 hours since overhaul.

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single and multiengine land, and instrument airplane. His last FAA first-class medical certificate was issued on December 12, 2017. The pilot reported a total of 2,285 flight hours, of which, 1,187 hours were in the same make/model as the accident airplane.