A C421C in climb at 10000 ft declared an emergency and diverted due to the right engine failure caus...

Attributes
ACN	403583
Time
Date	199805
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : den
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Golden Eagle 421
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 6050 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	403583
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Aircraft (CE421C xyz) departed apa at approximately XA45. IFR flight plan to ril. Clearance from ATC, resume own navigation to intercept (rockies 3 departure, dbl transition) climb and maintain FL200. At approximately 15 NM west of apa, climbing through 10000 ft MSL, the right engine made a 'pop' sound and smoke appeared through vents in top of cowling. No immediate indication of oil pressure loss or high temperature on engine. Pilot decided to feather engine and secure due to impending failure. At approximately XB00, pilot advised ATC of right engine failure/feather and declared an emergency. Pilot advised ATC he wanted to return to apa. At approximately XB10, aircraft landed on runway 17L and taxied off runway. No injuries or substantial damage occurred to airframe. 5 passenger on board, 1 pilot crew. Preliminary inspection of engine indicates catastrophic internal engine failure. Hole in top of engine case, right magneto sheared from mount and intercooler dented from ejecting parts. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the engine was a continental gtsio-520-north with only 500 hours and the preliminary report was a thrown connecting rod. The reporter said the engine was sent to the manufacturer for teardown and the final report was not complete.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C421C IN CLB AT 10000 FT DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO THE R ENG FAILURE CAUSED BY A THROWN CONNECTING ROD.

Narrative: ACFT (CE421C XYZ) DEPARTED APA AT APPROX XA45. IFR FLT PLAN TO RIL. CLRNC FROM ATC, RESUME OWN NAV TO INTERCEPT (ROCKIES 3 DEP, DBL TRANSITION) CLB AND MAINTAIN FL200. AT APPROX 15 NM W OF APA, CLBING THROUGH 10000 FT MSL, THE R ENG MADE A 'POP' SOUND AND SMOKE APPEARED THROUGH VENTS IN TOP OF COWLING. NO IMMEDIATE INDICATION OF OIL PRESSURE LOSS OR HIGH TEMP ON ENG. PLT DECIDED TO FEATHER ENG AND SECURE DUE TO IMPENDING FAILURE. AT APPROX XB00, PLT ADVISED ATC OF R ENG FAILURE/FEATHER AND DECLARED AN EMER. PLT ADVISED ATC HE WANTED TO RETURN TO APA. AT APPROX XB10, ACFT LANDED ON RWY 17L AND TAXIED OFF RWY. NO INJURIES OR SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE OCCURRED TO AIRFRAME. 5 PAX ON BOARD, 1 PLT CREW. PRELIMINARY INSPECTION OF ENG INDICATES CATASTROPHIC INTERNAL ENG FAILURE. HOLE IN TOP OF ENG CASE, R MAGNETO SHEARED FROM MOUNT AND INTERCOOLER DENTED FROM EJECTING PARTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ENG WAS A CONTINENTAL GTSIO-520-N WITH ONLY 500 HRS AND THE PRELIMINARY RPT WAS A THROWN CONNECTING ROD. THE RPTR SAID THE ENG WAS SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR TEARDOWN AND THE FINAL RPT WAS NOT COMPLETE.

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.

A C421C in climb at 10000 ft declared an emergency and diverted due to the right engine failure caused by a thrown connecting rod.