Narrative:

While piloting a 310R at 7000 ft, at XA30 umt on an IFR flight from st louis to grand haven, mi, I experienced a catastrophic failure of my right engine, just south of south bend, in. For a min or so, prior to noticing oil streaming profusely out of the top of the right engine cowling, the only clue I had was a slight vibration felt throughout the entire airplane. I went through the normal items trying to determine the source of this vibration, but to no avail. At this time the thought of an engine fire crossed my mind and then I decided on the spot to shut down the engine and to secure it. Just prior to doing this I was in the process of briefing myself on the upcoming VOR approach. I then told the south bend approach controller, who I just moments before checked in with, that I had just shut down my right engine, and that I wanted to land as soon as possible. He acknowledged and began vectoring me for the ILS runway in use to sbn which was only about 12-15 mi to the north of me. But at the time I did not know my position relative to sbn or the final approach course. Remember, I was in the en route phase, planning my VOR approach to 3GM, when the engine had to be shut down. By now I was in IMC running on one engine 300 pounds below gross weight. Only a matter of mins went by from the time I shut down the engine to the time I was issued both my approach and landing clrncs by the approach controller. I therefore descended at a much higher descent rate than I usually use but I was forced to do so or I faced a longer vectoring sequence back around for another approach. As it were, I overshot final slightly but I reintercepted and centered up the needles and broke out lined up just inside the OM. An uneventful landing followed as the fire trucks followed behind on the rollout. I was pleased with the outcome and personally thanked the approach controller for his help.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A CESSNA 310 DIVERTED TO LAND AFTER ONE ENG FAILED DURING CRUISE.

Narrative: WHILE PILOTING A 310R AT 7000 FT, AT XA30 UMT ON AN IFR FLT FROM ST LOUIS TO GRAND HAVEN, MI, I EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF MY R ENG, JUST S OF SOUTH BEND, IN. FOR A MIN OR SO, PRIOR TO NOTICING OIL STREAMING PROFUSELY OUT OF THE TOP OF THE R ENG COWLING, THE ONLY CLUE I HAD WAS A SLIGHT VIBRATION FELT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE AIRPLANE. I WENT THROUGH THE NORMAL ITEMS TRYING TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THIS VIBRATION, BUT TO NO AVAIL. AT THIS TIME THE THOUGHT OF AN ENG FIRE CROSSED MY MIND AND THEN I DECIDED ON THE SPOT TO SHUT DOWN THE ENG AND TO SECURE IT. JUST PRIOR TO DOING THIS I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BRIEFING MYSELF ON THE UPCOMING VOR APCH. I THEN TOLD THE SOUTH BEND APCH CTLR, WHO I JUST MOMENTS BEFORE CHKED IN WITH, THAT I HAD JUST SHUT DOWN MY R ENG, AND THAT I WANTED TO LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. HE ACKNOWLEDGED AND BEGAN VECTORING ME FOR THE ILS RWY IN USE TO SBN WHICH WAS ONLY ABOUT 12-15 MI TO THE N OF ME. BUT AT THE TIME I DID NOT KNOW MY POS RELATIVE TO SBN OR THE FINAL APCH COURSE. REMEMBER, I WAS IN THE ENRTE PHASE, PLANNING MY VOR APCH TO 3GM, WHEN THE ENG HAD TO BE SHUT DOWN. BY NOW I WAS IN IMC RUNNING ON ONE ENG 300 LBS BELOW GROSS WT. ONLY A MATTER OF MINS WENT BY FROM THE TIME I SHUT DOWN THE ENG TO THE TIME I WAS ISSUED BOTH MY APCH AND LNDG CLRNCS BY THE APCH CTLR. I THEREFORE DSNDED AT A MUCH HIGHER DSCNT RATE THAN I USUALLY USE BUT I WAS FORCED TO DO SO OR I FACED A LONGER VECTORING SEQUENCE BACK AROUND FOR ANOTHER APCH. AS IT WERE, I OVERSHOT FINAL SLIGHTLY BUT I REINTERCEPTED AND CTRED UP THE NEEDLES AND BROKE OUT LINED UP JUST INSIDE THE OM. AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG FOLLOWED AS THE FIRE TRUCKS FOLLOWED BEHIND ON THE ROLLOUT. I WAS PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME AND PERSONALLY THANKED THE APCH CTLR FOR HIS HELP.

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.