Narrative:

I was cleared for takeoff on runway 5R at ind. The departure was normal and at approximately 500 ft AGL I made my first power reductions to 30 inches and 2500 RPM when a very quick power fluctuation occurred. This had my undivided attention and I quickly checked the mixture and temperatures which appeared in the normal operating range. I continued to climb for approximately 4-6 mins with no other indication of power surges or high or low temperatures. At approximately 4000 ft the engine began to surge and fluctuate rapidly and immediately I notified ATC (departure as I was on an IFR flight plan) of my power fluctuations and I then went through the rough engine checklist procedure as I turned back for ind. The controller cleared me down to 3000 ft and I notified him of a rapid loss of power. At this time a loud bang (mechanical noise) was heard from the engine compartment when I noticed the RPM indicator read 0 RPM. It became evident that after the restart procedure would not work, I was not going to make ind airport at best glide speed. I noticed an airport at my 10 O'clock and (estimated) 4 mi and advised the controller that I was heading to that airport. He advised me that it was 3SY spdway and he had no known conditions. I advised him of souls and fuel on board. I then commenced with the off airport landing checklist (emergency checklist), shut off fuel on selector and pull the mixture, also checking for other landing locations. It became apparent that I would not reach the field (direct 35 KT headwind) and opted to land in a field behind an elementary school wheels up and notified the tower and proceeded to land and evacuate/evacuation the aircraft. The only damage to aircraft visible was 2 bent blades on propeller and a small bit of the tip of the elevator. I was able to call the tower back and let him know I was fine. There were no injuries and minimal damage. The NTSB was notified and would be out the next day to investigate. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states the engine problem was due to a split ring in the turbo charger. This ring was installed improperly which caused it to disintegrate. The pieces went into the engine and blocked the oil from going to the engine. The last cylinder overheated and blew a rod. The company does not do its own maintenance. The manufacturer has taken responsibility and replaced the equipment and paid for damages. Aircraft was C210T. This was a night operation and reporter was not sure where he was landing until about 15 seconds before he touched down.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C210T HAS ENG SURGE AND PWR FLUCTUATIONS SHORTLY AFTER TKOF. ATTEMPTED RETURN LAND.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 5R AT IND. THE DEP WAS NORMAL AND AT APPROX 500 FT AGL I MADE MY FIRST PWR REDUCTIONS TO 30 INCHES AND 2500 RPM WHEN A VERY QUICK PWR FLUCTUATION OCCURRED. THIS HAD MY UNDIVIDED ATTN AND I QUICKLY CHKED THE MIXTURE AND TEMPS WHICH APPEARED IN THE NORMAL OPERATING RANGE. I CONTINUED TO CLB FOR APPROX 4-6 MINS WITH NO OTHER INDICATION OF PWR SURGES OR HIGH OR LOW TEMPS. AT APPROX 4000 FT THE ENG BEGAN TO SURGE AND FLUCTUATE RAPIDLY AND IMMEDIATELY I NOTIFIED ATC (DEP AS I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN) OF MY PWR FLUCTUATIONS AND I THEN WENT THROUGH THE ROUGH ENG CHKLIST PROC AS I TURNED BACK FOR IND. THE CTLR CLRED ME DOWN TO 3000 FT AND I NOTIFIED HIM OF A RAPID LOSS OF PWR. AT THIS TIME A LOUD BANG (MECHANICAL NOISE) WAS HEARD FROM THE ENG COMPARTMENT WHEN I NOTICED THE RPM INDICATOR READ 0 RPM. IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT AFTER THE RESTART PROC WOULD NOT WORK, I WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE IND ARPT AT BEST GLIDE SPD. I NOTICED AN ARPT AT MY 10 O'CLOCK AND (ESTIMATED) 4 MI AND ADVISED THE CTLR THAT I WAS HEADING TO THAT ARPT. HE ADVISED ME THAT IT WAS 3SY SPDWAY AND HE HAD NO KNOWN CONDITIONS. I ADVISED HIM OF SOULS AND FUEL ON BOARD. I THEN COMMENCED WITH THE OFF ARPT LNDG CHKLIST (EMER CHKLIST), SHUT OFF FUEL ON SELECTOR AND PULL THE MIXTURE, ALSO CHKING FOR OTHER LNDG LOCATIONS. IT BECAME APPARENT THAT I WOULD NOT REACH THE FIELD (DIRECT 35 KT HEADWIND) AND OPTED TO LAND IN A FIELD BEHIND AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHEELS UP AND NOTIFIED THE TWR AND PROCEEDED TO LAND AND EVAC THE ACFT. THE ONLY DAMAGE TO ACFT VISIBLE WAS 2 BENT BLADES ON PROP AND A SMALL BIT OF THE TIP OF THE ELEVATOR. I WAS ABLE TO CALL THE TWR BACK AND LET HIM KNOW I WAS FINE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND MINIMAL DAMAGE. THE NTSB WAS NOTIFIED AND WOULD BE OUT THE NEXT DAY TO INVESTIGATE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE ENG PROB WAS DUE TO A SPLIT RING IN THE TURBO CHARGER. THIS RING WAS INSTALLED IMPROPERLY WHICH CAUSED IT TO DISINTEGRATE. THE PIECES WENT INTO THE ENG AND BLOCKED THE OIL FROM GOING TO THE ENG. THE LAST CYLINDER OVERHEATED AND BLEW A ROD. THE COMPANY DOES NOT DO ITS OWN MAINT. THE MANUFACTURER HAS TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY AND REPLACED THE EQUIP AND PAID FOR DAMAGES. ACFT WAS C210T. THIS WAS A NIGHT OP AND RPTR WAS NOT SURE WHERE HE WAS LNDG UNTIL ABOUT 15 SECONDS BEFORE HE TOUCHED DOWN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.