Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On February 17, 2000, at 1440 mountain standard time, a Cessna TR182, N155HC, was not damaged during a forced landing at Fort Carson Military Reservation, Colorado. The private pilot was not injured. The flight was on a VFR flight plan and operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this business flight from Pueblo, Colorado, to Colorado Springs, Colorado. During initial descent for approach to Colorado Springs, the engine began to run rough and oil started to appear on the windscreen. At the time, the aircraft was passing over a U. S. Army military reservation and the pilot did not believe he could fly to the nearest airport located approximately 5 miles from his position. The pilot performed a forced landing on a dirt road on the military reservation.

According to the pilot, on February 16, 2000, at approximately 1800, he was flying the aircraft at 12,000 feet above mean sea level (msl) en route to Alamosa, Colorado. When he was just west of La Veta, Colorado, the aircraft engine lost partial power, oil pressure, and smoke entered the cockpit. The pilot made an emergency landing at Walsenburg, Colorado, about 15 miles east of where he lost partial power to the engine. The pilot said the engine indicated some oil pressure during this event.

Examination of the engine at Walsenburg provided information that a seal on the turbocharger had failed.

The morning of February 17, the pilot had a mechanic cap the turbocharger oil lines, wire the waste gate open, and fill the engine with 8 quarts of oil. (According to the attached engine specification data, the engine holds 8 quarts of oil and 2 quarts is the minimum safe quantity in the sump.) An engine run was performed without abnormalities appearing and the pilot made the decision to fly the aircraft to Colorado Springs for inspection and repair. Due to weather conditions in Colorado Springs, a landing was made at Pueblo, Colorado, with continuation to Colorado Springs following a delay while weather conditions improved.

After departing Pueblo, the pilot proceeded to fly the aircraft to Colorado Springs. While on approach 5 to 8 miles from landing and over Fort Carson Military Reservation, the engine began to shake and oil came from around the oil filler door on the cowl. The pilot made an emergency landing on a road on the military reservation.

Examination of the engine, following the landing, provided evidence that the number 6 cylinder connecting rod had failed. The failure had caused a hole to be punched in the engine casing. The aircraft was dismantled for transport on February 18th and moved to a repair facility at the Colorado Springs airport. An engine examination performed on March 2, 2000, revealed heat distress on the number 6 connecting rod journal and bearing. The pilot electing to fly the aircraft with known deficiencies which resulted in a catastrophic engine failure. Factors were a connecting rod failure, and low engine oil l