Cirrus Design Corp SR22T N317KJ accident near Lincoln, Nebraska

Probable cause

The pilot’s decision to continue the flight with abnormal engine indications and the subsequent failure of the No. 5 cylinder connecting rod for unknown reasons.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that the engine start, taxi, and run-up were normal. The night flight proceeded uneventfully until about 60 nm from the destination airport when the engine briefly stuttered and started to run rough. The pilot stated that he told air traffic control that the engine was running rough and requested to divert to an airport located about 39 nautical miles (nm) east of the destination airport. About 40 nm from the destination airport, the pilot told air traffic that the engine smoothed out and he wanted to continue the flight to the destination airport. About 6 nm from the destination airport, the pilot told air traffic that he would be unable to make it to the runway due to engine power loss and was going to look for a field where he could land. He located a field and deployed the airframe parachute. The airplane landed, under parachute, in the field and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.

Recorded avionics data for the flight showed that the abnormal engine indications began about 100 nm from the destination airport and continued to the end of the flight. The pilot continued the flight and passed two airports where a safe precautionary landing could have been performed while operating in night light conditions, which increased the risk of finding a safe area to perform an off-airport landing.

Postaccident examination of the engine revealed a catastrophic engine failure. The No. 4 and 5 cylinders were not connected to their respective crankpins. The No. 5 cylinder crankpin surface lacked the deformation and scoring found on the No. 4 cylinder crankpin, suggesting that the No. 5 piston connecting rod separated from its crankpin and that material from the No. 5 cylinder induced foreign object damage and subsequent failure to the remaining portions of the engine.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN22LA117 for the full record.