ERA11LA130

A total loss of engine power resulting from the failure of the camshaft due to fatigue cracks. Contributing to the accident was the inadequate quality inspection of the camshaft after initial manufacture.

The airplane’s engine lost power during cruise flight at 9,000 feet, and the pilot declared an emergency. Air traffic control (ATC) personnel initially provided the pilot with headings to a nearby airport. However, when the pilot realized that he would not reach the intended airport, he deployed the airplane’s parachute, and the airplane came to rest upright in a field. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the camshaft was completely fractured due to fatigue cracks near the flange at the oiling holes. Further examination showed that the fatigue cracks initiated at the edge of the oiling holes and were caused by burrs left when the camshaft was originally manufactured. The burrs folded over during subsequent shot-peening operations, which formed laps at the corners of the holes; the laps acted to concentrate stresses at the edges of the holes and also shielded the underlying material during shot peening. The laps prevented formation of the beneficial compressive stresses that result from shot peening. This allowed subsequent formation of fatigue cracks. The accident camshaft was determined to have been the 19th camshaft of its type manufactured. Because the camshaft was not a serialized part, specific manufacturing records could not be located. However, the quality control inspection procedures that were in place at the time the camshaft was manufactured required an inspection of the oil holes for proper de-burring. A search of FAA database revealed no similar camshaft fracture failure between 1995, and February 2012, excluding the accident event.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On January 27, 2011, about 1919 eastern standard time, a Cirrus Design Corp. SR22, N8135B, registered to Deep South Express LLC, and operated by a commercial pilot, experienced a loss of engine power during cruise flight in the vicinity of Cross City, Florida. The pilot deployed the airframe ballistic recovery system parachute and the airplane descended into a field near Cross City. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight, from Weedon Field Airport (EUF), Eufaula, Alabama, to Leesburg International Airport (LEE), Leesburg, Florida. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from EUF about 1819. The pilot stated that earlier that day he and the student/airplane owner flew the airplane from LEE to EUF, where the student was dropped off. After landing, the fuel tanks were filled. After fueling, he checked the wing tanks and fuel strainer for contamination; no contaminants were found. He also performed a preflight inspection of the airplane before departure; no discrepancies were reported. He received an IFR clearance while on the ground at Eufaula for an IFR flight direct to Leesburg. The flight departed and climbed to 7,000 feet, then later climbed to 9,000 feet. Approximately 1 hour into the flight, while north-northwest of Cross City, with the engine operating between 2,500 and 2,600 rpm and 23 inches manifold pressure, the pilot reported the engine surged then lost power. Utilizing the emergency procedures checklist, he activated the engine alternate air control, switched the fuel selector, moved the magneto switch to left and right positions, and turned on the auxiliary fuel pump in efforts to restore engine power but was unsuccessful. According to a transcription of communications with the Taylor Radar Control Position of the Jacksonville Air Route Traffic Control Center (Jacksonville ARTCC), at 1913:02, the pilot advised the controller that he may be having “…some engine problems here”, to which the controller asked the pilot to repeat that transmission. The pilot repeated his transmission about an engine problem and alerted the controller that he might need to divert. The controller immediately advised the pilot of the distance and direction to the Cross City Airport (CTY), and asked the pilot if he was declaring an emergency, to which he replied yes. The controller advised the pilot to descend and maintain 3,000 feet, which he read back. The pilot advised that he proceeded towards CTY using the on-board global positioning system (GPS) receiver, and began descending at best glide airspeed. Air traffic control communications were transferred to another sector at the Jacksonville ARTCC, and that controller provided the pilot with weather for Gainesville, and instructed him to report the Cross City Airport in sight. The controller asked the pilot the nature of the emergency and at 1916:23, the pilot advised the controller that the engine was only operating at 1,500 rpm. The flight continued, and at 1918:24, the pilot informed the controller that he would be unable to land at CTY. The controller asked the pilot to state his intentions, and the pilot informed the controller that he intended on landing the airplane in a field, but reported it was dark in that area. The controller asked the pilot of another airplane if he was familiar with the area and the pilot of that airplane replied that there were open fields near the VOR near the CTY airport. The controller vectored the flight towards the VOR, and at 1919:21, the controller asked the pilot what type of airplane he was flying to which the pilot replied the make and model. The controller asked the pilot, “…obvious question you do not have the parachute recovery system” to which the pilot immediately replied, “I do I’m deploying right now.” The pilot reported that he felt deceleration as a result of the parachute deployment, then while descending did not feel anything else because of the dark area he was over. He was wearing the 4-point harness which was cinched tight, and reported the ground contact as being, "harder than a hard landing." While on the ground using the airplane's VHF transceiver, he broadcast to another pilot nearby his latitude and longitude, who in turn relayed that to air traffic control (ATC). Personnel of the ATC facility relayed that to law enforcement personnel who proceeded to the scene. While on the ground he did not recall hearing the on-board emergency locater transmitter (ELT) activating or bleeding over onto the VHF frequency he was communicating on. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot, age 28, holds private, commercial, and flight instructor certificates. At the commercial level, he was endorsed with airplane single engine land and instrument airplane ratings, and held a second class medical certificate with no medical restrictions or limitations issued October 5, 2009. The NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report submitted by the pilot indicates his total flight time was 470 hours, of which 442 hours were as pilot-in-command (PIC). Of the 442 hours as PIC, 30 were in the accident make and model airplane. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The SR22 airplane was manufactured by Cirrus Design Corporation in 2003, and designated serial number 0669. It was certificated in the normal category, and powered by a 310 horsepower Teledyne Continental Motors IO-550-N engine and equipped with a constant speed Hartzell PHC-J3YF-1RF propeller with F7694 propeller blades. Review of the maintenance records revealed the engine oil was documented as being changed last during a 100-Hour inspection of the engine which was signed off on August 11, 2010. While the entry by the repair station indicates that 8 quarts of Aeroshell 100R oil were added, the Chief Inspector for the repair station later indicated in fact that Aeroshell 100 Straight Mineral Oil were added and the “R” suffix was an internal code used for pricing and invoicing. The Chief Inspector for the repair station also indicated that they incorporated a change to their procedures for maintenance record entries to specify the exact grade and type of engine oil added per the container. The airplane total time at that time was recorded to be approximately 1,371 hours. The airplane total time at the time of the accident was recorded to be approximately 1,414 hours, or an elapsed time of approximately 43 hours since the last oil change. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION A surface observation weather report taken at Cross City Airport (CTY) at 1853, or approximately 24 minutes before the accident indicates the wind was from 220 degrees at 4 knots, the temperature and dew point were 08 and 03 degrees Celsius respectively, and the altimeter setting was 30.09 inches of Mercury. The accident site was located approximately 11 nautical miles and 033 degrees from CTY. COMMUNICATIONS The pilot was in contact with the Tallahassee Radar Control Position of the Jacksonville Air Route Traffic Control Center. There were no reported communication difficulties. Following a loss of radio contact with the accident pilot, the controller had the pilot of a nearby airplane divert to the area who was able to relay information to and from the controller. FLIGHT RECORDERS The airplane was equipped with components that record and retain non-volatile memory associated with flight. The components that have non-volatile memory or retain data consist of a primary flight display (PFD) and multi-function display (MFD), both of which were manufactured by Avidyne. The PFD and data storage card from the MFD were retained and submitted to the NTSB’s Vehicle Recorder Division for data extraction. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION Examination of the airframe by a repr