Cessna 182H accident near West Plains, Missouri, March 8, 2002
On March 8, 2002 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Cessna 182H, registered N64AE, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Plains, Missouri. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The engine failure due to the fatigue fracture of the crankshaft which resulted from the installation of improper pistons during an STC'd engine conversion by other maintenance personnel. Additional factors included the unsuitable terrain encountered by the pilot during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 2002 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- West Plains, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182H · all 182Hs on the register
- Registration
- N64AE · registry record · serial 18255970
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a field after a total loss of engine power. The pilot reported he was cruising at 3,000 feet msl when he heard a loud bang from the engine, followed almost immediately by smoke from beneath the left side panel and excessive vibration from the engine. The engine lost power and the pilot executed a forced landing. During landing roll out, the nose wheel struck a rock and the nose gear collapsed. An inspection of the engine revealed that a connecting rod had punched a hole in the engine case. The number 2 piston rod, rod bearing, and rod journal were discolored and exhibited heat distress. The crankshaft was broken in two pieces at the number 2 cheek. A fatigue fracture was observed on the fracture surfaces of the number 2 cheek. The engine was originally a 230 horsepower Continental O-470-R that was converted to a 270 horsepower O-470-50, as a result of Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) #SE4985NM. This STC required the cylinders to be replaced with the same cylinders and pistons used on Continental O-520 engines. The crankshaft, forging number 539664, S/N S401, and heat code E99, referred to as a "wide-rod" crankshaft, was manufactured in the 1960's and was originally used on Continental Motors O-470 and IO-470 engines. The crankshaft had not been replaced since the STC conversion on December 23, 1994. It had accumulated 1,259.0 hours since the STC conversion. The engine teardown revealed that the pistons installed on the engine were 8.5 to 1 compression pistons used on normally aspirated Continental O-520 engines. The P. Ponk Aviation STC SE4985NM specifies that the 7.5 to 1 compression pistons are the proper pistons to use in the engine conversion. On September 24, 2002, P. PONK AVIATION, issued a Service Information Letter, SIL 002, that stated, "Use of the "wide-rod" crankshaft with any piston higher than the 7.5 to 1 compression ratio and a maximum rpm above 2700 is not authorized by our STC and could result in engine failure. Our testing did not exceed the above parameters, and we do not condone or support installation of the higher compression pistons." No logbook entries indicated any of the pistons had been changed since the engine was converted to an O-470-50, on December 23, 1994, and only the # 3 cylinder was changed on April 15, 2000, due to low compression. The engine build-up records that documented what parts were installed on the engine during the STC conversion no longer existed.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,300 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 3,200 as pilot in command; 1,288 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 15, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,052 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 21, 2002; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-50 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UNO West Plains MO at 3:50 pm
- Destination: JBR Jonesboro AR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from UNO, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.