Cessna 210 5A(205A) accident near Stafford Twp, New Jersey, July 12, 2015
On July 12, 2015 at about 2:10 pm local time, a 1963 Cessna 210 5A(205A), registered N315EC, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Stafford Twp, New Jersey (Eagles Nest airport). It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power due to the failure of the crankshaft, which resulted from a mechanic's failure to properly torque the engine cylinder through bolts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 2015 · about 2:10 pm local time
- Place
- Stafford Twp, New Jersey · Eagles Nest · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210 5A(205A), built 1963 · all 210 5A(205A)s on the register
- Registration
- N315EC · registry record · serial 2050494
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the accident flight was his second skydiving flight of the morning and that the airplane was performing "normally" as it had during the first flight. During climbout, he noted that the engine cylinder head temperatures were in the "normal" range. When the airplane reached about 4,000 ft mean sea level, the engine experienced a total loss of power, and, about 1 minute later, the propeller stopped windmilling. The pilot conducted an off-airport landing to a nearby highway. During the landing roll, and to avoid impacting vehicles on the highway, the pilot guided the airplane onto the median, and the wings and horizontal stabilizer impacted several road signs, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. Disassembly and examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft was fractured near the No. 2 main bearing. The No. 2 main bearing saddle mating surface exhibited extensive fretting, and the areas adjacent to the No. 2 bearing on the inside of the engine case exhibited rotational scoring, indicating that bearing movement had occurred before the crankshaft failure and that insufficient torque had been applied to the cylinder through bolts. Review of the maintenance logbooks revealed that, 19 days before the accident, a mechanic replaced the No. 2 cylinder. It is likely that the mechanic applied insufficient torque to the through bolts after replacing the No. 2 cylinder, which allowed the bearings to move and led to the eventual failure of the crankshaft.
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
What happened, in order
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Replacement › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Failure
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Maintenance/inspections › (general) › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,151 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 1,075 as pilot in command; 392 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 28, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,237.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 19, 2015; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,899 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-520-FCA (piston); 1,894 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 31E West Creek NJ
- Destination: 31E West Creek NJ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from KACY, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
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.