Had a bad day

[rydfly]

So halfway through a 2-hr X/C jaunt from the Dayton, OH area to Evansville, IN yesterday with my wife and young daughter along, I began noticing a strong exhaust-type smell. I shut off the heater and things seemed to get better, reinforcing my suspicion that I must have a small exhaust leak someplace in the heating system. As it began to get really cold in the cabin, my wife and I experimented with applying a small amount of heat only, while admitting fresh air from the wing root vents and for a time, it seemed tolerable. She closed her eyes and tried to resume her nap (my 4-yr old was already sound asleep in back).

As we continued, and only a few minutes later I noticed that the view ahead was looking hazier than expected. I took off my sunglasses and immediately realized that the haze wasn't outside the plane, it was in the cabin! HEATER OFF, WINDOW AND CABIN VENTS OPEN! I turned north towards KBAK (Columbus, IN) which I knew was nearby, though not exactly where. We quickly found the airport and were cleared to land.

The engine still seemed to make good power, oil pressure and temps OK, just a ghastly and noxious smoke in the cabin. We landed safely and taxied to an empty ramp. During the taxi, I attempted to open the cabin air vent but noted that the smoke immediately poured in, regardless of whether I used heat or cabin air settings. This can't be good.

With my family safely inside the FBO, I started inspection. Immediately I could see that the smoke was not exhaust, it was from oil burning off of the hot muffler. Some kind of major oil leak had sprung, spewing lube all over the passenger side of the engine. It continued running out of the lower cowl, pooling on the ground along with my hopes of a minor repair.

As it was a Saturday, the on-field service center was closed. There was a helpful pilot on the field, however, that offered some tools and his time to help me de-cowl and further inspect. About 10 or 15 hrs ago, we replaced the #1 and #5 cylinders with overhauled units, so my thoughts immediately centered on the #5. After cleaning, we could see no obvious oil source, however. Cautiously, we re-started the engine to run at 1000 rpm for a minute or so. I noted that the battery acted like it was nearly drained... very strange. After the brief running, we still saw nothing. We cleaned it up a little better and decided we would run for a couple of minutes longer, at a slightly higher RPM. Again, it struggled to start, but it did. When I ran it up to about 1500 RPM, it started to shake, so I shut it down. Now we could see that the oil was centering around the #3 cylinder (which we never touched at annual/top overhaul). We pulled the spark plugs on the odd-numbered cylinders and the #3 was soaking with oil. Oil both inside and outside? No way this will end good.

The helpful pilot gave me the number of a local mechanic he would recommend, but when I called, the gentlemen said he wouldn't be able to do anything since the plane wasn't at his field. I was able to contact the service manager of the service center on-site and he'll have a mechanic looking at it on Monday morning. I can only imagine what their labor rate will be.

I know things could have been a lot worse. I was able to land on an airport instead of some farmer's field (or worse). We were on the ground and shut down before an engine fire occurred. My plane is at an airport with a Cessna service and parts center on-site. My parents' house was only a hour away and they were able to come pick us up. My plane is within a few hours driving distance from my home. Our troubles at this point will be financial rather than physical, we are all physically unscathed.

As I walked away from my plane, tied down on a lonely ramp, a still-growing puddle of oil dripping beneath as dusk settled and the snow began falling... it's the sickest feeling I've had in a long time.

[jrenwick]

Considering the successful outcome of your flight, I'd consider it a good day! Congratulations on handling an in-flight emergency as well as you did! Ending a flight short of a destination is a normal thing in all my X-C flying experience, and sometimes it leads to an unforgettable adventure. It's all part of the fun of flying -- as are the unexpected expenses, I'm afraid. I hope it doesn't work out too badly for you.

[wingnut]

".....I know things could have been a lot worse. I was able to land on and airport instead of some farmer's field (or worse)......."

You may have actually had better services availability in a farmers field

[GAHorn]

I'm glad you landed safely.

I'm anxious to see what's found. I broken exhaust guide comes to mind. ...

[N3531C]

It's just money. You and your family are safe. It's easy to fix iron.
Scott

[rydfly]

Thanks for the support folks. I'll definitely keep you all posted as things develop.

As a side note, this fateful flight was serving as a proving run to use my new iPad with WingX as a gps navi instead of my old Garmin 195. When we needed to find the Columbus airport, it was as easy as looking at the moving map sectional and touching the desired destination. Instantly I had a heading and distance. Much quicker than fumbling with the old rubber buttons on the 195 and a much better picture for situational awareness. I'm sold.

[n3833v]

When a situation like this pops up, a million things go through your mind. You made the right decision and it sounds like the navigation was also a big helper to the outcome. I know the sickened feeling of being at an airport without all the support of home. Just realize that this is the best outcome.

John

[Bramlett]

I'm glad you and your family are safe. This could have been much worse.

All the best,

[rydfly]

I'm glad you and your family are safe. This could have been much worse.

All the best,

You bet it could've... I spoke to the mechanic today, he said the #3 cyl is cracked about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way around about an inch from the base! That doesn't leave much material holding it together. I'm very glad we were able to land as soon as we did!

I went through my engine logs. That cyl was installed as a reconditioned unit at major O/H about 550 hrs (and many years) ago. Then it was removed 250hrs / 5 years ago and R&R'd for a stuck valve. Hasn't been touched since then.

Hopefully a replacement jug will have us back in the air relatively soon. Won't know for sure until they can pull off the damaged one and inspect things a little further though.

[wingnut]

Amazing things; combustion chambers. They can be overhauled, and overhauled, and......still carry the same tag . If or when you go to aircraft (parts) auctions, it is amazing to see the price that scrap aluminum goes for.

Not saying that bad things can't happen to good cylinders, but that bad things most often happen to cylinders that have "run the time through the mill", and nobody know's the trouble I've I've see... wait, that's a country song

Be mindful of the place you buy your replacement cylinder. If it starts with a...... DONT buy it.

[bagarre]

My tail wheel instructor once lost a cylinder on a C85 in a similar way. The barrel split all the way around and was held on by the manifold. Per Joe, the motor shook terribly but held oil pressure and he landed safely.

These engines can really take a beating and still turn a propeller

Glad you got down safely.

[GAHorn]

I once made a midnight takeoff in my C-206 out of old Austin Mueller (surrounded by downtown bldgs/residences) for a end-of-the-workday nighttime flight out to my place (rough terrain/lakes) and the tower had authorized an intersection takeoff on rwy 30L but I took the full length even tho' it had been a long day, I was tired, and it meant a time-consuming, long taxi across the rwy and back the wrong direction....but it turned out to be the best decision I'd made in a while.
About 300 ft in the air a loud "BANG!" ...a vibration which I thought was a blown nose-tire spinning down ...(and then I thought "why would a tire blowout when it's already AIRborne?") .... Next, the smell of fuel! In another few hundred feet I'd not have any remaining runway to put it back down (Thank Goodness I'd not accepted that intersection takeoff!) .... I pulled the throttle OFF and landed straight ahead, coming to a stop short of the end. Whew!

The number four cylinder had blown it's head off the barrel, splitting the stainless fuel-injector line (allowing a constant stream of fuel onto the top of the split-open cylinder.) I couldn't even taxi if I'd wanted to because the engine ran so rough.
A tug was called for and towed me in.

A cylinder change-out solved the problem for $1000, and there was no telling how many cycles were on that failed cylinder because it had been installed about 350 hours earlier as a rebuilt cylinder during an annual inspection discovery of low compression (Ex Valve). TSMOH on the engine was only about 500 hrs.


I still never take intersection departures if I have passengers, and never at night under any circumstance.

[rydfly]

Hi folks,

I had the opportunity to inspect the damage myself yesterday and speak with the mechanic who is working on my repairs. All appearances are that the damage was contained within the #3 cylinder. No damage to the pushrods, lifters, camshaft, etc. and no signs of metal in the oil or screen. After seeing the extent of the cylinder crack, it's amazing that it remained attached to the crankcase at all (and I doubt it would have been for very much longer). I've attached a few pictures of the removed cylinder assembly.

I should have a replacement assembly in-hand later this week and with any luck, can be airborne again a few days later. For those who are wondering, it was a genuine TCM cylinder, though it had been overhauled and chromed 550 hrs (and 20 yrs) prior to failure. We replaced 2 this past fall for other reasons. Making plans to replace the remaining 3 in the spring.

[johneeb]

Ryd,
Are you using 100 Low Lead in your engine? I ask because it appears that your cylinder, until it cracked, was working very well, very clean inside.

[rydfly]

I don't have any access to mo-gas. I run 100LL and usually add a small amount of MMO. I also lean on the ground and in any cruise above 2000ft or so.